Kissed By A Thorn
by Rosiekins
Summary: This is Bulma Briefs speaking! My diary is unlocked, and waiting to be read! Inside is the true story of Vegeta and I. Read, or else I will pound your skull in with a mallet! :Lots of romantic BV action now. Do read! Please? Haha.: Complete!
1. Introduction

NEW NOTE! (6/12/05): I have something to admit. I've been writing silly B/V fanfictions since I was fourteen years old, even though (up until last month) I'd never seen past the Namek saga. That's right. I was basing everyone's character's according to what I had seen in the first 28 Funimation episodes, and from what I'd discovered online. smacks hand to forehead However, last month I bought the entire DBZ series, and it's the original, unaltered, REAL version from Japan (though horribly translated, much to my dismay). I've seen all the episodes now, and wow...I got a lot of things wrong.

For instance, Vegeta sure is an anti-social bastard! I thought that he potentially had a sly, sneaky sense of humor (as seen here), and at moments, he does. But for the most part, he's just a cranky, distant, obsessive, and HUMORLESS assface! I mean, I still love him...he's one of the most complicated character's in the show, and he DOES change (as is depicted in some of the best scenes in the entire series), but obviously not as soon as I had fantasized.

Also, I was shocked to discover that Bulma INVITED Vegeta to stay with her, and that SHE pursued HIM. While it doesn't show them "getting together", there are several scenes that more than suggest Bulma's attraction to him, and his bizarre (and hilarious) submission to her. From how people talked, I hadn't expected any scenes with them together at ALL, much less what they DID show. There was still not nearly enough for me, of course, but plenty to work with in terms of establishing their relationship.

Another shocking discovery: Vegeta does NOT call Bulma "woman"; he actually calls her by her name! In fact, he calls most of the character's by their names, which suggests that Vegeta isn't nearly as impolite as is stereotyped in so many fanfics. I was once a severe offender myself in that department. In my first (and only other) B/V epic, I had Vegeta call her nothing BUT woman, even up until their "engagement". I was only fourteen, so I forgive myself, but the fact remains that I was very wrong. And OH, they never DO get married! I actually thought they did, but now, seeing how Vegeta actually is, I can't imagine him walking down the aisle. Definitely NOT his "thing"!

So, here you have it. My story is very out of character, and I'm sorry. Hahaha! However, I'm not going to change it, or deviate from the characteristics I've established here. Nor do I want to. One day I'll write a B/V story so faithful to the anime, they'll make it into a movie (I wish!), but for now...well, what can I say? This is what happens when you base everything off of your own premature interpretations!

a/n: Like most of my ideas, I got this while sitting in the car on the way home. It is, really, just another 'How They Got Together' story, but with a twist...it is told through Bulma's 'real life' diary entries, and is introduced with just some carbon copied junk I threw together with commentary from Bulma herself between the lines (/). I realize that some people may and will be horribly offended by this premise, but let me tell you that it has been months since I have read a B/V story, and I am not trying to hurt anyones feelings, or act 'holier the thee.' I'm just being silly as usual.

MiNdYs story on how Vegeta and Bulma fell in LOVE

One day, Bulma was sitting in the yard, in a lawn chair. She was wearing a bathing suit, and was so happy because Yaumcha was on his way over, and they were in love. She looked at her watch, and suddenly jumped when she heard a car drive over! It was Yaumcha. He was drunk, Bulma could tell. He stumbled out of the car, and came and bumped into her chair. She tossed her magazine down, and he stared at her stupidly.  
"Hey, berrr...baby." he slurred. He had lipstick all over him! It was as though some whore had literally tried to mark her territory. Bulma sneered, and slapped him hard. "Owww! Wha wazz DAT ferrr!" he groaned. "Go to hell!" she screamed, and ran into the house, where she cried for seven hours, contemplated suicide, and ate bowl after bowl of ice cream.

/Wait a minute! First of all, while Yaumcha can be stupid, he isn't THAT stupid! He knows that I would plow him down with more then a wimpy slap across the face if he ever showed up drunk, covered in lipstick. By the way...why would he have it 'all over him' anyway?  
And another thing...I would never, ever cry for seven hours over him, and nor would I be suicidal, or risk gaining all that weight! Give me a break here, people! Give me some credit. The truth is...Yaumcha had nothing to do with Vegeta and I. I haven't hardly talked to him for years! Yes, having him cheat on me and dump me and all that may be a very convenient setup for the situation, but that's all it is. That and a lie! I don't know whoever gave you such an idea. Was it ChiChi? Was it/

The next day, Vegeta came out of the gravity room. He was so hot and sexy and he heard Bulma crying in the kitchen. He walked in there as she sobbed over her bowl of cereal because she had spilled her coffee and she couldn't do anything right! "What's the matter with you, woman!" he bellowed. She sniffled in shock, and stormed up, wiping her nose.  
"N..nothing! Get out of here, Vegeta!" she cried, and thundered to the fridge, where she hid her red face behind the door. "Make me something to eat! That's your job as the woman. So do it!" he snarled. She crept her head away slowly, and glared at him. He just glared right back.  
"Okay." she whispered, and reached slowly into the fridge, where she then tore a cabbage off the shelf and hurled at him. He batted it away in surprise. "Eat THIS!" she screamed, and began throwing the contents of the fridge at him, from glass jars to raw meat and milk jugs and grapes and leftover fried chicken. Vegeta was floated out of the way at every barrage, infuriated that he was getting soiled with filth! He picked up the fridge suddenly, and tossed it aside, shocking Bulma to her knees, where she buried her head in her hands. He zipped down, and was about to hit her, but he just couldn't. He stormed out inside.

/Okay, listen lady...or kid more like! I would never sit crying at the table over spilt anything. And if I did decide to throw food at Vegeta he wouldn't take it so seriously, believe me. What so many of you don't realize is that even though Vegeta has been known to be a horrible, murderous fiend, he actually has a sense of humor. In fact, so much of his personality is just this sneaky look on his face. How could I explain? Sigh.  
Anyway, I can see this where story is going, and since it has one more 'act' (or so I'm told) and because I am consumed with morbid curiosity, I will let it go on. But then we are going to hear the true story. Okay? Okay./

The next night, Bulma was in her room, crying. She went to the balcony and stared at the lake and the garden and was cold so she went back in. When she turned to her bed, Vegeta was standing over it. She gasped, and tightened her flimsy silk robe over her shoulders. "Vegeta! Get out!" she gasped. He didn't move. He just looked at her with dark, soulful eyes. She shifted with discomfort, and looked at the ground. Why did he have to be so cute?  
"Why have you been crying?" he asked with an unusual softness. She shrugged,and looked up again.  
"Yaumcha. Okay? That's all. Now leave." Vegeta circled her sudden;y, slowly, and her knuckles turned white over the seedy fabric. "He's mad..." Vegeta whispered, and Bulma shuddered, and backed away against the wall.  
"Please leave." she choked. She kept her eyes locked to the ground and waited as he went to the door. She looked up carefully as he was about to open the door. "Wait..." she called. He turned to her, and she stepped forward.  
"I'm...sorry. About yesterday." she said softly.  
"So am I." he said. She was shocked.  
"You...are?" "Yes," he said, and took a step forward. "I can't get you out of my mind." Bulma felt her heart race.  
"Oh Vegeta...I feel the same way!" she said, her voice breaking, and they ran to each other and kissed. And that was how Trunks was born and they got together.

THE END

/Boo, hoo! That may have been a good scene, if it were with different people, who actually had a background between them! Geez! It didn't make much sense, but I suppose a person could argue that life really doesn't, either, so...but what am I doing? The point is, that is not what happened. Vegeta would never sneak into my room and speak softly, and...I wouldn't exactly describe him as being 'cute', either! I don't go for 'cute.' I could say more, but my pointing out the obvious got old awhile ago. Now it is time for you to hear the truth. After what could be thousands upon thousands of 'documentations' of Vegeta and I's relationship, I think it is about time I cleared things up. For instance...I wouldn't sleep with someone the first night they stepped foot in my bedroom, no matter how vulnerable I happened to be (which I rarely ever am! Humph)! Also, that whole rumor about becoming a super saiyan during 'the act' isn't true, either! That's just sick. You people shouldn't be writing about our bedroom life, anyway! Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to read about other peoples 'interpretation' of your bra size in such a way? I have feelings too, you know!  
Anyway! I tire of saying that, so...however! I am transferring crucial portions of my own personal diary that outlines the truth, so that there is no mix up, no question, no distinction what so ever as to what really happened. Vegeta doesn't have to know about this either, okay? He doesn't care about this sort of thing. Like everything else, he thinks it's funny!

Turn the page now,

Bulma. / 


	2. May 7

**_May 7_**

  
**12:30 a.m:** Oh geez. This is so gross. Can't anyone get any sleep anymore? I'm about to ring the necks of the two little love birds next door. I mean it. This is frickin' sick.   
  
  
  
**12:37 a.m:** I can use the word 'frickin'' if I want to, by the way! You would too, in the middle of the night.   
  
  
  
**12:45 a.m:** Fine, I'll admit it. I'm lonely. Are you happy now?   
  
  
  
**12:47 a.m:** Ugh, now Vegeta has come inside. He always slams the door so loud. I believe I have mentioned this before, but as long as it keeps annoying me (it will) I will continue to complain about it in here! I keep my door locked, by the way. I don't trust that beast. I continue to be furious with my mother over this whole ordeal.   
  
  
  
**12:51 a.m:** I wish Goku was around...I'd feel a lot safer!   
  
  
  
**12:52 a.m:** Gohan would be pretty good, too, actually. At this point, I'd feel better to have just a pit bull or a butter knife.   
  
  
  
**1:12 a.m:** I was dozing off into a blissful sleep, tuning out the inconsiderate, revolting people next door, when I heard the door slam again. I watched out the window as Vegeta went over there. Whatever he said to them (or did to them? should I call the cops? and what will they do, restrain him? ha!) they are now quiet. I want to get down to the bottom of this.   
  
  
  
**1:35 a.m:** There is no way I will be able to go back to sleep now! Here's what happened. I went stumbling into the hallway, and heard noises downstairs. I knew it was Vegeta, for I happen to know he is the only other person (?) who is awake so late/early. He looked at me really weird, like he was picturing me naked. The pig. 

"What did you do to those people next door?" I demanded. 

"Does it matter? They are silent now, aren't they?" he said smugly. Oh yuck. I did not want to be having this conversation, in the dark living room, with The Beast. 

"Tell me, or else!" I spat. 

"Or else what? You will call Kakoratto over here to 'beat me up'?" Pretty annoyed now, I stormed towards the door. 

"I'll find out myself!" I proclaimed. 

"Wearing that?" he said. Mortified, I looked down at my skimpy night gown. 

"So what?" I growled. "Keep your eyes in your head, or I will 'beat you up' myself!" He looked so amused, I seriously wished I had a baseball bat that I could bash him with, though it would probably just shatter, and he'd howl with laughter. I whirled around again when he said, "I only scared them a bit. Nothing else." I wasn't sure if I believed him, but was too tired to care. 

"You better not be lying," I warned, and went storming back to my room, where I could hear him snickering. He's such a dim witted ape. I hope he chokes on his next daily dose of nails.   
  
  
  
**10:03 a.m:** Do not want to be at work today, but here I am! Ugh. Stupid next door neighbors, and stupid Vegeta. Oops.   
  
  
  
**10:10 a.m:** Got phone call from stupid person wanting to talk to 'Laurie'. There are so many people who's tongues I'd love to rip out...!   
  
  
  
**10:15 a.m:** Slow day today.   
  
  
  
**10:17 a.m:** SIGH.   
  
  
  
**3:09 p.m:** Oh no. Got home to see that someone had been in my office again! This is really starting to get on my nerves. I told mother that it was probably some malicious person who wants to steal all of my blueprints and formulas and files, but mother said that nobody would bother going to the trouble! How dare her!   
  
  
  
**5:10 p.m:** Nightmare. I wish I had super powers. I wish there were some way that Goku could give me maybe a tiny bit of his, so I could zap at Vegeta for just one split second...! The look on his face would be worth everything. For, you see, it was HIM who has been messing around with my office! Why? I don't know. I didn't actually catch him, he TOLD me. Well, sort of...I was complaining about it to mother again, when he walked by, and he looked at me so...sneakily, is it? I just knew. I'm not just being paranoid. I was afraid when Vegeta moved in with us; now I'm ANNOYED. I never expected this!   
  
  
  
**8:28 p.m:** I just watched "Casablanca" and now wish I were dead. I will die alone. Why not sooner then later? SIGH.   
  
  
  
**8:31 p.m:** This is where someone is supposed to toss a love note through my window...   
  
  
  
**8:32 p.m:** Or call me. Hello?   
  
  
  
**9:45 p.m:** I feel better now. ChiChi came by, and complained about Goku so much, that I'm glad I'm not married, especially to some saiyan. She says he is always off sparring with Vegeta and training Gohan (which infuriates her). Ha. My life is perfect.   
  
  
  
**10:24 p.m:** Tomorrow is Saturday. I aspire to have fun tomorrow, even if I have to get stinking drunk. I also plan on having a few words with The Beast...if I can manage it. 


	3. May 8

May 8, Saturday: I Need To Get Out More...  
  
1:09 a.m: I have PMS, and essentially wish I was dead. I can't hardly sleep anymore. I'm too paranoid.   
  
5:09 a.m: I may just sleep all day. I've been awake since one, watching infomercials. I'm so sick of sex hotline commercials, I could behead them.   
  
3:14 p.m: Was having blissful sleep when the PHONE rang. I stuck my head under the pillow to drown out the horrible noise, but it did not regress. I picked it up and shouted, "What?!" like a acidic drill sergeant, where ChiChi said, "Bulma! What is the matter with you?!" I told her I had been sleeping, but she just kept rambling on. Apparently, The Beast has been over there all afternoon, in the gravity room, with Goku, and ChiChi is 'getting worried'. Oh, boo hoo. She doesn't have to LIVE with the mutt.   
When she finally lets me off the hook, I am about to fall asleep, when the VACUUM screams on. It is my mother cleaning, in the middle of a summer afternoon, when I am trying to sleep. She used to do it all the time when I was a kid, and I'd feel so guilty and irritated that she was reminding me of my laziness, that I wanted to scream on pointy hill tops.   
Seeing that I wasn't going to get any more sleep, I rolled out of bed like a Hag Creature, and flopped down the stairs, and went sulkily to the kitchen. Mother was still vacuuming away, my life being sucked up through the ugly funnel, when I bolted outside. Feeling restless, halfway asleep, quirky and...insane, I spotted the pool across the yard, all glimmering summery blue in the light. So what if I was in a huge sleeping shirt? I walked over there very dramatically, as though I were in an Important Part of a movie, stared into the water at my baggy eyes and smeared up mascara and tangled nest of hair, climbed the ladder, stood on the plank and -- with no thoughts except, "Do it do it do it" -- I did. I jumped in like a stone, and sunk to the bottom, all delightfully icy cold, and then floated to the top like "The Little Mermaid" and shook my hair all about. It was marvelous. I am reborn again into youth, and do not plan on wasting it...  
  
6:10 p.m: Yeah, I hid out in my office instead, though I did wear shorts and a bikini top the whole time, to feel a bit more...womanly? I don't know. I call it 'my office' though it is more of a lab. I will not begin to explain. After spending hours in there, my brain is begging for junk. And here it is.   
The Beast returned. I saw him through the tiny square window, and hid in the corner, to see what he would do. I wanted to catch him in the act. At first, he only passed by, and was gone. But I had a feeling not to give up yet. I decided he would probably pretend not to be, but he would be looking for me, making sure I wasn't around (he certainly wouldn't ASK; "Hey, where's that blue haired woman?" assuming correctly that he is too oafish to bother learning my name).   
Anyway, I suddenly saw his monstrous hair poke out behind the frosty glass, and then I remembered with a pang that the door was locked. But he just came right in! I doubt he even noticed; you know those stupid saiyans and their annoying super strength. I stayed absolutely still, under the table, as I saw him come in. He was stalking the area, as though he were making sure no booby traps would come swinging down or something. He then stared at my blueprints a moment before turning around, looking about again, then leaving, with the door wide open, just to drive me crazy. Steamed, I began to work my way out, when he darted back in again.   
"I knew you were there. Do you think I could not hear you?"   
"What do you think you're DOING in here in the first place?!" I roared, ignoring his question, and bursting out of the corner.   
"Trying to steal your little ideas, of course," he smirked, crossing his arms. Mother says this is a sign of low self esteem, but in his case, he just wants to show off the fact that his stupid arms are all knotty like rope. Gross, if you ask me.   
"My ideas are not 'little'!" I raged, but then shook my head, and sighed. "Why do you come in here? This isn't any of your business, what is in here!"   
"Actually, it is," he began, starting to pace, like a prosecuting lawyer on TV. "I do not know what it is you are hiding in here...suppose you are building nuclear weapons?" I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering how he would have any idea about warfare that did not include the terms 'power level' and 'gravity room' and 'sparring'. But then my mind re centered on the absurdity of the whole conversation.   
"Don't be ridiculous! What is it you want?!"   
"I hear simply that you are building a gravity room," he said slyly. Of course. Pheeh. He just wanted to know about his stupid training equipment.   
"Yes, I am," I spat. "Though I was building it for Goku's use more then yours, so don't try and act all territorial about it."   
"I wouldn't dare," he said, all weirdo like again, looking at me very strangely, then walked out the door, this time shutting it behind him. He's very weird. He gives me the creeps. Who knows what's going on inside his stupid head? I will never trust him.   
  
8:27 p.m: Cards! Ha! How old are these guys, and from what smoke on the ceiling movie are they from? Yes, Master Roshi, Oolong and this weird homeless looking man who's name I have already forgotten are all down there, playing three handed pinnacle. I think I will go sit on the porch, and listen to insects being fried by the bug zapper...  
  
8:50 p.m: Hmm. The hot tub looks very good to me. I think I may hop in there a bit.   
  
9:46 p.m: I was hoping The Beast would walk by, and I would stick my nose up at him, for I would be conveniently be getting out right at that moment, and I could show off. For my benefit, not for his.   
  
10:26 p.m: They are still going at it down there (CARDS, people!), and noisily! I am about to go down there with a pistol. They are all scared of me as it is...  
  
10:30 p.m: That's it!   
  
10:40 p.m: Ha! I stomped down the stairs, all scowling and narrow eyed, and they all paused and turned to me with round looks. I told them to shut up, or else I would break certain objects into/over/and on various parts of their body. Master Roshi and Oolong shut right up, after a brief session of babbling, but the Hobo Man just laughed like a hyena, and planted his dirty feet on the table. Hideous. Does he think he is on TV or something?  
"You're all afraid of her?! That's funny," he howled. Infuriated for his disgusting sexism, I turned and was about to let him have it, when The Beast suddenly says (he was probably standing there behind me the whole time) "You SHOULD be afraid of her. If you're not careful, she will rupture your eardrum."   
"Shut up!" I bellowed. He looked all triumphant suddenly (though he usually does) and all three of the pigs at the table started snickering, as though The Beast was just One of the Guys, making his usual amusing remarks. "Quiet!" I yelled, and stomped closer. "I'm trying to sleep! Either you morons shut up, or I will kick you all out, one by one!"   
"Okay, I'd love to see you try!" the Hobo said, and burst into laughter.   
"You think you're witty? You are a sniveling, monstrous, revolting boar! I COULD kick you out, with one foot and my eyes closed, so shut your stupid mouth, and get your feet off the table!" I raged (people will never learn; I have a temper, and I'm not shy) and when he just gaped up at me very amused like, I shoved his dirty feet to the ground, and got a bit carried away, and stomped on them. He acted like he was going to get mad (his dumpy green eyes got all stormy) I merely turned around, saw The Beast smirking at me (his only facial expression), all cross armed (his only stance) and I glowered at him, too, feeling even more annoyed that he was just STANDING there. May as well charge admission for my temper tantrums, and open a concession stand.   
  
11:21 p.m: Tomorrow I go to ChiChi's. She will no doubt complain more about Goku and Vegetahekdh I mean The Beast. She has every reason to hate his guts; he tried to kill Goku and Gohan and destroy the world, ect. But he wouldn't do that now. He probably likes the fancy pancy, materialistic, looks obsessed culture of earth. He probably likes playing with Goku, too. Ha. I don't get him. At least I'm not scared of him anymore! Pheh. Like he'd try to hurt me! Goku would kick his ass. What? He would! Not that anyone is jumping to see THAT fight happen again...  
  
11:46 p.m: The end. I'm going to bed. Everyone has shut up down there. The Hobo hasn't come flying through my window with a butcher knife, like he would if this were a movie...oh well. Hmm, I wonder if The Beast would kick HIS ass for that? Hahaha, yes, because he is SO respecting of women...anyway... GOOD NIGHT, or bad night... 


	4. May 9

*Note*: Thank you all for the fabulous reviews! I love you dearly.   
  
May 9, Sunday; Chi-Chi the Grate  
  
10:34 a.m: I have no life, do I? I'm on my way to see Chi-Chi. It is still annoyingly sunny out. Wish I were still fifteen, and could 'hit the beach' and act like a kid. Humph.   
  
7:20 p.m: Holy hell. Poor Chi-Chi, I do say! All that she has to put up with. I don't blame her for being such an old troll all the time.  
Here's the thing; we were just sitting on the porch, with the fans blowing, and the radio on. It was very relaxing. All we needed were rockers and balls of yarn. But distantly, there is all this crashing about, and I keep looking around, on edge. Chi-Chi doesn't seem to notice.  
"What is all that noise?!" I demand finally, after an exceptionally loud explosion.  
"Hunh?"   
"Don't you notice it?!"   
"Oh," she sighs, and fans herself with her hand. "No. I'm used to it." I feel like coming home now to rip up the blueprints to my gravity room, for I imagine being sprawled out in a lawn chair, with the end of the world going on, and me not even noticing. Chi-Chi is nuts. But there wasn't much time to discuss it further, because out comes Goku.   
"Hello!" he says to me, all cheerful.   
"What is going on in there?!" I cry.   
"I'm just sparring with Vegeta!" he exclaims, shrinking back, and into the house. Chi-Chi shakes her head at me.   
"I don't see how or why he can, after all that monster has done to us!" she begins. I have heard this so many times. I completely agree with her; who knows if Vegeta is still evil? Goku is so trusting and good. He was the one who let Vegeta GO the first time. He'd be dead now if it weren't for Goku. That's kind of mind boggling, but so is this; the world would be destroyed a billion times over if it weren't for Goku, right? And most people have no idea. There should be a movie of my life. I would play me, of course!   
Anyway, blah blah blah, then out comes The Beast. Chi-Chi sinks back further in her seat, and I notice her hands claw at the chair arms as he walks by. He smirks at me, as though he knows some embarrassing secret about my past or something. Gives me the creeps. When he's gone, Chi-Chi heaves out a sigh and jerks to her feet.   
"I have to get out of this house!" she hisses. She looks at me with a brightness in her eyes that is foreign for her. "Let's go shopping, like we used to!" And we did. It was fun. I got new shoes.   
  
9:01 p.m: Huh. There is going to be a stupid storm this weekend. Why? Springs last swan song? I guess so. I'm actually somewhat looking forward to it. I will hide out in my office with candles lit.   
  
9:42 p.m: Remind me to stay off the internet! Geesh. Had horrible conversation with old friend of mine, Lora, who was saying how 'isolated' I am. That I 'don't get out enough' and am 'acting old'. How would she know?! The tramp. I got mad, and told her to quit acting like she was still a teenager, and to leave me alone! I have a life. I'm busy, and have responsibilities! She's too busy getting drunk, and sticking her tongue down strange creeps throats to do anything productive. She can personally kiss my ass.   
  
10:32 p.m: Chi-Chi just called to say that Vegeta/The Beast is still there, and that she wants him to leave. What am I supposed to do about it? I don't notice when he's gone or when he's here. I figured he spent all night training. The ape. Goku makes me sick too, actually. He may as well make The Beast Gohan's godfather.   
  
10:55 p.m: Chi-Chi called AGAIN. She's getting 'worried' now, and wants me to come with her as she has Gohan lead her to Piccolo (so he can 'investigate' the gravity room with Gohan in case there is 'trouble'). Good grief. Why do I need to go? Chi-Chi is needy. I don't blame Goku for hiding out all day.   
  
12:12 a.m: Well. THAT was an adventure! Gohan found Piccolo quite quickly (they train every day, which makes Chi-Chi even more pleasant to be around). Piccolo was annoyed, and didn't want to be bothered with 'nonsense' (I agree with him for once) but came along when Gohan said he could go see for himself alone. Haha! Neither of them trust Vegeta, either. I wonder why? Good grief.   
Vegeta wasn't even THERE. Goku was just hanging around alone. He said, "What's wrong? I do this all the time!" I just about wanted to whack Chi-Chi upside the head. She clenched her fists and bellowed, "Yes, you do! But I never saw that monster leave, and I had to make sure you weren't dead!" Then she stormed off, dragging Gohan with her, who didn't resist.   
"Why does she think I'd be dead?" he asked me, genuinely curious.   
"Vegeta did almost kill you once before, you know," I grumbled.   
"But he's not like that any more!"   
"How do you know?!"   
"Because...we've been allies since we fought Frieza."   
"Well, I still don't trust him, and don't blame Chi-Chi for being upset! You can't either."   
"Yeah, I know..." he said, though he didn't.   
When I got back, I noticed Vegeta just sitting there, in the field, distantly. I don't know what he was doing. Probably sleeping. That's creepy. He doesn't even go to bed like regular people. He'd probably balance himself of a spike if he had that option... 


	5. May 17, 19

May 17, Monday  
  
4:26 p.m: Oh, boo hoo. I've been busy! I have been. Summer is coming. I'm going to stay at the beach for the better part of it. I can't wait! Getting away from it all...ahhh. Meanwhile, the mysterious spring storm has yet to come. Haha. I give my middle finger to this alleged 'storm'!  
  
5:28 p.m: Hmm...as I've sat chewing on my pencil, noticing it tastes funny, I see the clouds...they are mushy blobs of lint. I don't like them. If there IS a storm, I refuse to hide in a closet, surrounded by candles, and muttering panicked thoughts.  
  
5:45 p.m: Here it comes...the wind is howling like a beast. The rain is all splashing, and hissing and steaming. It looks cold out there, too, though I DO wonder...hmmm. They say the power should be going out. Ha. Yeah, I neglect my journal for weeks, with only a storm to talk about! Geesh!   
  
6:12 p.m: Oopsy. The power has goe out. shakk be lookinhg for candes.   
  
6:17 p.m: There; it was bleeping dark in here a moment ago! Good grief. No kidding.  
  
6:20 p.m: SIGH. Boo hoo. A STOOOORRRRM. Big whoop. I'm sure somebody's about to pee their pants with excitement, but I'm not...  
  
6:47 p.m: Went looking around restlessly, trying to find bigger candles (wanted to use giant heart shaped one that received as gift from yet a still unidenified secret admirer; didn't use it for years, for feared it contained toxins that would kill me, for what if this person actually wanted me dead instead? ANYWAY...). Mother was knitting. She looked weird. I can't recall her ever doing such before. I wanted to plop her in a rocker, and draw a blanket to her chin. It was sad. But then The Beast came in the door. I was quite surprised. I figured he would much rather dare a lightning bolt to hit him (he'd probably mock its power level) then come inside (or, better yet, curl up in front of the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate..shudder...if he did this, I WOULD be scared of him). He looked at me in that Sneaky Cat way, and I am getting pretty sick of it. I barked, "What?!" by impulse. But he just walked into the basement. Why? I dunno. I didn't know he even went down there! I followed him, out of morbid curiosity. What did I WANT to see? Playing jacks? Weaving a wicker basket? Performing advanced chemistry experiments? Ha! No. The basement was darker then anywhere else in the house. I could hardly see as I tripped down the steps. I just caught the back door slamming. He had gone back outside! Why? Had he just come in the house to creep me out? I think so. So I went to the door, and stared out the tiny window, past the pellets of rain. I couldn't see him. He probably FLEW away. He's dumb.   
  
7:11 p.m: The power still hasn't returned. It hasn't. I've been reading in the candle light. I'm going to go poke about now.   
  
May 19, Wednesday  
  
4:05 a.m: I have junk to tell you. My life has turned into a soap opera. First of all, on the night of the storm, I got locked in the basement. Why? Because I heard a weird noise in there. In the back of mind, I KNEW it was Vegeta, but I wanted to make sure. I closed the door behind me, and it clicked lock. Oh well. But when I examined it carefully down there, and saw that there was no sign of anyone, I tried to get out the door. It was locked, of course. Why? I don't know. I didn't have any keys with me. I tried to pick it with a nail, and banged on it, and the other door. There was pale gray light coming from the window, but that was all. I didn't want to be stuck in the basement all day, so I tried to break down the door. I was planning on fixing it, you know! But as I was beating it with a plank of wood, making some real progress (after three shoves, it started to crack like an old woman's face), in comes Vegeta. He just opens the door, and looks at me, as though he is incredibly amused. What is it about us and locked doors, by the way? UGH.   
"Why did you lock the door?" I demanded.   
"I didn't. You did."   
"What?"   
"When you followed me down here the first time. I saw you."   
"I did not FOLLOW you..." I started, but saw that someone as piggish as him could never be talked out of his delusions. "Why are you down here, anyway?"  
"That shouldn't matter." He looked at me rather oddly then, the way he has been. He's creepy. And when I say that, I mean he is attractive, in a sick, slimy way. I was so annoyed, I wanted to break the board over his head.   
"I'm going now," I said, and haughtily went to the door, but it was still locked. He suddenly reached up over the ledge of the door, and dropped some keys in my hand. Then he just smirked, and went up the stairs. He is such an asshole. I'd love to humiliate him some how.   
Anyway, that was then. Later that night (try two a.m) I heard weird noises. I was sleeping, and started hearing a consistent strain of ugly, scratchy sounds. It was as though someone were picking at the walls of the house with a knife. Getting unnerved, I went to the window and peered down, to see someone in the bushes! I'm not kidding. This is where the soap opera junk starts in, because I gasped, and went bursting out into the hall, and went to the living room, looking wildly around. I grabbed a fire poker. No one else was awake, I assumed, so I took the roam phone with me (just in case I needed it), and went outside. I stomped into the yard, and the guy saw me, and hopped out of the bushes. Suddenly I realized how vulnerable I was. What if he had a gun? What if he had a knife? What if he had...'back up'? I kept my ground, though, and marched forward.   
"What are you doing?" I hissed. He was grubby looking, with a black plant of hair, and dirty old rags for cloths. I noticed, then, that behind the bushes was the window to the living room, with all of our fanciest stuff. He was holding a short knife. He eyed me and my own 'weapon'.  
"Get back in the house, lady."   
"No!" I snapped, instinctively. Suddenly, he pointed the knife AT me. The short, stubby knife. He had to be kidding.   
"Get. In. The. House. And bring me with you," he warned, coming closer. I clenched my hands over the poker, and backed away. I noticed the guy looked startled suddenly, as though there was someone behind me. I whirled around, and Vegeta was standing there. No, not Brad Pitt, Vegeta. The guy bolted then, and that was it. I was actually kind of mad. I could have taken that wimp on! My picture may even have been in the paper.   
"You're going to get yourself killed," Vegeta said. But he didn't look at all concerned.  
"What is it you want? What? I don't like you! You are evil! Stay away from me!" I cried, and went storming into the house. He followed me.   
"For a woman, you have a startling amount of self confidence. And strength."   
"For a WOMAN?" I bellowed. But then the 'strength' part hit me. What did he mean by that? All powerful saiyan. I smiled ruefully suddenly, then shook it off. Under any other circumstance, I would have churned the charm, but this wasn't one of those times. I didn't want to flirt with him.   
"Oh, never mind," I grumbled, and headed towards the stairway.   
"But you have little sense in you," he added suddenly, as though I had never spoken.   
"What?!" I hissed.   
"You are foolish. One day, you may have to pay for it." Suddenly, I felt a cold fear wash over me.   
"Are you threatening me?" I asked, my voice weak.   
"I wouldn't dare."   
"Of course! You're afraid of Goku. Is he still beating you?" I taunted.   
"Never," he said, and smirked. I expected him to be MAD. I was getting increasingly frustrated at the fact that NOTHING I said upset him! NOTHING! He thought it was a big kick in the teeth. A little fragile woman, snarling at him, like no one (not even other big, mean men/aliens) would dare to do. I decided he must be getting off on it. I decided to take things at a different angle.   
"So..." I started, suddenly sarcastic. "Would you rather me be afraid? Oh...wah, wah. Please don't hurt me!" I whined, batting my arms about daintily.  
"No. You cannot change your personality now," he said, always looking incredibly entertained at it all (still with the secret, sneaky look on his face) and he left, into the shadows. I went stomping back to my room, and had so much trouble sleeping, that I just plain didn't. I don't like that he takes me as such a joke! That he thinks I'm so amuuuuuusing. I am almost willing to risk his wrath, if it met I could see his eyes narrow in honest anger. I'm still thinking of a way, and will keep you posted. 


	6. May 20 June 4th!

May 20, Thursday  
  
6:13 p.m: UGH. As if to complicate things more, this dumb guy at my work has the hots for me. I'm not kidding. He has asked me out three times. Every time, I say something like, "No, I'm picking dried up boogers out from under my nightstand" but he just laughs. Like Vegeta, he doesn't think anyone as brutally honest as me can possibly be taken seriously. Stupid men. Nursing their precious egos...  
Why won't I go out with him? Well, first of all, he spits when he talks. In fact, his mouth is always SO full of spit, that I can hardly understand what the hell he's saying. And he pours hair gel on his head, to the point where globs just about plop on the ground. AND he is annoying. He thinks it's cute to call my office with various fake voices. I don't even know what his job is. Ugh. SO unsophisticated.   
Anyway, I spent some time in the pool. It's been hot out, following the storm. The weather around here is crazy. Vegeta has been gone at Goku's all day, so I haven't had to put up with his weirdness. Not yet. I am thinking of looking into creating a machine that can read peoples thoughts...nobody would have to know about it but me. Ha. Vegeta's head would be the first one I'd raid. Why? Because, I can already hear the tumbleweeds being tossed about it by a howling wind. THAT would be the way to get to him! Haha.   
  
7:25 p.m: Hmm. Goku's here. Should I go downstairs? What does he want?   
  
7:32 p.m: At first I thought, Oh, someone has been in an accident! Someone has DIED! I imagined myself sobbing in the middle of some long hospital corridor. But no, it was just him coming over to see how the gravity room building was going. That's ALL he ever thinks about. Daddy has been working on it now, since I announced that I wanted nothing to do with it some time ago. Ha. Haha.   
  
8:45 p.m: Romance novels are SO unrealistic! The lovers are always absolutely gorgeous, the locations always sensual and perfect, and the sex always fireworks/leaping cows/bombs exploding fabulous (even if one or both are virgins). UGH.   
  
9:00 p.m: Huh.   
  
9:10 p.m: Yeah, someone called, then hung up. All I heard was heavy breathing. Now I'm completely mortified. The phone now sits darkly, like a bomb. I'm going to go complain.   
  
9:27 p.m: Oh, please! Mother said, "It was just a wrong number from someone who is probably obese" (the heavy breathing?) then Oolong said, "Or it was a right number from someone who is obese, and wants in your bed" (GRRRR) so I said, "Then it was YOU!" Mother rolled her eyes, and walked over to me like a cat tripping through the sand. She acts like a runway model. Then I saw the doorway, and knew why. Vegeta was standing there, that stupid, smug half smile adjoined to the right corner of his mouth. My mother, of course, has to hop around like a baywatch extra whenever he shows up. That's NASTY. But, more importantly, why is it that wherever I go, he goes? HA. Take THAT, Vegeta!  
  
9:40 p.m: Anyway, I'm going to the beach in a week!   
  
May 27, Thursday  
  
7:57 a.m: Oh. It is so lovely out! I'm packing, nice and pretty like. Travelling light. Black bathing suit, walkman, and sun tan lotion are my essentials, along with books, magazines, big fluffy towel, and...other stuff.   
  
3:27 p.m: Hello. Am sitting here, as the waves blanket the sand...aww, yes. So relaxing. I have found a mildly desolate spot. Some kids are splashing about in the water nearby, but I do not hear them, for I am listening to "Summer Midnights," my relaxation CD. My cabin is lovely, by the way. Just as I remember it.   
  
9:37 p.m: I was walking to the lighthouse I always like to visit. You know, the one that is in near ruins, standing like broken bones against the sea? Yeah, well, then I saw that dumb guy from my work, Lucifer (quite appropriately named, thank you very much), just conveniently there already. He looked me up and down (not at all discreetly, either) then said (with much spit action), as though he were all surprised, "Wow, Bulma, what are you doing here?" He KNEW I would be here. He probably heard me talk to some of my friends at work about it. He probably followed me, the psycho.  
"Well," I said, annoyed, "I'm here on vacation."   
"Oh, I see...alone?" Geeez!  
"No. I'm married," I said smugly.  
"No, you're not!" he laughed. Seeing that this conversation was going nowhere fast (which is how I wanted it) I said, "I'm late for a very important arrangement with my girlfriend." He looked at me with bulging eyes. I sneered at him.   
"My girlFRIEND," I spat.  
"Oh." Then I thought I should tell him I was actually gay, but decided against it. Have seen THAT in one too many stupid movies.   
After I said my goodbyes, I waltzed away towards the sea again. It was getting dark, you know. Well, just slightly. Twilight-y. It started to get colder. I had noticed that the sky had been weirdly gray and frothy all day, and now the wind was all whirling about more violently. Just what I need, of course, is some storm. You know, as a romantic set up when I'm all alone. Ha. Ha. Ha.   
  
May 28, Thursday  
  
Bulma,   
  
I'm sorry that you think I am so annoying. That you think I a so stupid. I'm not. If you'd give me a chance, you'd find that out. But no; you're just a nasty bitch.   
- Lucifer  
  
Response from Bulma; How DARE he write in my journal! I'm keeping this as evidence.  
  
May 29, Friday  
  
8:23 a.m: Okay; so here it is, in script/slight parody like form;   
ME: *walks down to the pier to watch the moon rising; contemplate whether or not I should throw myself in the water and kill myself*  
*foot steps patter behind me*  
ME: *thinking* Now whoever could THAT be? *turns around, see's no one* Oh well! *walks away from pier, sulking, and walks toward cabin, the beach empty. Unlocks door, and steps in, the house all dark like in some slasher movie* Grrr. Grrr. Where is that pesky light switch? *light switch turns mysteriously on on its own; I see Lucifer standing there!* Get out of my house!   
LUCIFER: No, not this time...*he walks over to me, as though he is a dangerous insect, rather then the walking leaf he really is* You're not giving me a chance, Bulma! *he reveals my diary to me from behind his back* You're really not...  
ME: *I run to him, and snatch my diary away, mortified!* Get. OUT!   
LUCIFER: *angrily* If you thought I was an idiot, why didn't you just say so?   
ME: I thought that was pretty obvious...  
LUCIFER: *throws the diary at me; now believes he is in a soap opera* Shut up. *he comes towards me*   
ME: *I grab my diary, then walk over and punch him; he stumbles backward, haha* GET OUT! GET OUT! I'm calling the police! *I am now in a soap opera as well*  
LUCIFER: *stomps out the door, and is gone!*  
  
Anyway, yes, that is what happened. Why am I putting it in script form? Because; I don't want to deal with it in any other way. I'm quite paranoid now, to tell you the truth.   
  
9:56 a.m: Mother is all horrified for me too, you know. I'm kind of surprised she is. I thought she'd say I was 'over reacting.' Well, actually...she now insists that I take martial arts to 'protect myself'! PuhLEASE! I punched the loser out. I can take care of myself!   
  
10:27 a.m: "What if he gets a gun? What if he points it at you? What if he SHOOTS you?" mother cried when I went downstairs a minute ago.   
"I'll wear a bullet proof vest," I replied wryly. She got this idea from the police. You see, I *did* call them. I called her, too. They were all at the beach house together, a huge party. Ha. Lucifer is nowhere to be found. The police want me to be 'extra careful' for he may be 'very dangerous.' Mother probably stayed up all night chewing that over. UGH.   
  
6:05 p.m: Oh, guess what? ChiChi came by earlier, and was told my 'harrowing tale.' She was horrified, and said I need to take up self defense, ASAP! UGH. Why? Can't *I* just buy a gun? Wouldn't that be easier? Hmm? HMM?!   
  
6:10 p.m: Of COURSE ChiChi would say that. She has Goku to stand around and protect her. When he's not grinding away in the stupid gravity room! UGH!   
  
6:11 p.m: Confirmation; NO I don NOT need a man to take care of me. Haven't I proven that already?  
  
6:12 p.m: Though I would like one for other purposes...  
  
6:13 p.m: Oh GREAT. Now guess what I'm thinking about? ARRRGH. Shut up, Bulma! SHUT UP!   
  
7:30 p.m: So; I went to the library and rented out a self defense tape. Ha. It was made in the seventies, and the trainer in it is some creepy guy with an afro, and red spandex shorts. After all this, I'm seriously considering becoming a lesbian...  
  
8:25 p.m: That pig Vegeta thinks it's HILARIOUS that I have a self defense tape. I can't believe him! HIM, who tried to destroy the world, nearly killed my dearest friends, and stood by while others were...he was down there, TEASING me, like we were both in high school!   
"I suppose you think you could do harm, now? I doubt that," he smirked. I'm starting to think that he wants me to attack him, to get off on it. AGGGH.   
"Yes, I could! For your information, that creep doesn't stand a chance against me!"   
"Maybe not...but he may have others helping him." THIS scared me. I never even considered that! Not once. And the sudden fear it brought to me made me even more furious.  
"He doesn't!" I raged, wanting to pound that stupid, smart ass look off his stupid, smart ass face...! "He doesn't HAVE friends," I said firmly, a bit more calmly, stomping over to him, to look him in the eyes, so he would get my point. He looked down at me, his arms all crossed, still incredibly amused over my obvious distress.   
"Whoever said anything about friends?" ARRRGH! ARGH. Why can't he just be completely stupid? Why can't he just go, 'Duurrrr, gee Bulma, me no don't, NEED FOOD!'? No, instead he keeps piling on the paranoia with his little observations.   
"Look! What am I supposed to do about it?! Get my OWN army gathered? Hire a hit man? A bogy guard? Hide out in the basement with the barrel of a gun pointed out the window, waiting for him to come?"   
"While that would be entertaining...no. You merely need to be prepared."   
"And how would I do that?"  
"That is not my problem," he hissed, then strode off, snickering. I HATE HIM! HATE HIM!   
  
June 4, Thursday  
  
1:40 p.m: Okay; LOTS of insane things have been happening. Goku offered to train me (because he is mad about everything, and so is ChiChi). Vegeta saw this as immediate competition, and last night, he said something like, "Kakarotto doesn't know that a woman needs different methods of training then men." Outraged at his sexism, I began to drill into him about how much of a pig he is, but he cut me off with, "Hush up, woman! You see, it is true; Kakarotto could not know. He isn't known for being smart."   
"And neither are you!" I shot back. "I can handle anything!" Of course, a few hours later, we get a phone call; Lucifer was found dead. Murdered. And now they're talking 'alien activity' which may mean little green aliens and crop circles in the movies, but here, means something extremely different. It seems I may be in serious danger, for, YAY! who knows what went down between Lucifer and his killers. Yet nothing as of yet has been confirmed.   
  
------------------------------  
NOTE FROM BULMA: Now, at this portion of the diary, things take a huge twist. Only, it takes a very long time to get there. Real life isn't usually, "Oh, look at that! That sure happened fast." No. So, I am prepared to summarize.   
- Yes, it WAS alien activity.  
- And yes, I was in extreme danger for Lucifer wasn't after me just for his own purposes; he was hired to kidnap me, to get to Goku. CHAH! Can you believe that? His 'boss,' some all powerful ass called 'Gox' at this point, apparently doesn't know how to write an invitation. I do. "Dear Goku; please come to (said location) for I am Gox and I am interested in trying to kill you. Thank you." Instead, this guy has to try and go all Hollywood on us.   
- Yes, I know what you're thinking; why didn't this Gox just kidnap ChiChi? Well, they got some cronies of the Head Bonehead to spill, and he said that Lucifer was already stalking me (!!!! UGH!) and saw how close I was to Goku, and was overheard talking about it. He was mad at me for not giving into his 'charms' so he spread nasty rumors that Goku and I were having an affair. HA! HA! Uhhh huh. He wouldn't tell Gox the truth (he would then, of course, had to explain WHY he lied), so of course they thought I'd be a better candidate for abduction. All the more theatrical, right? "Ohh, Goku, Bulma has been kidnapped!" screams ChiChi.   
"WHAT?! AHHHH."   
"Why do you care so much all of a sudden?" she'd ask, very suspicious.   
"Err...uuhhhh..."  
"They're having an affair," Vegeta would announce nonchalantly, as he would drift across the kitchen, and out the door. HA. Then ChiChi would storm off, and soap opera music would play, and I think you get it now.   
- Anyway...Goku is on high alert. He has been looking for this 'Gox' but so far, there has been no sign of him. He doesn't know who he is, or what he wants. I am still in danger, for it seems this Gox still wants to kidnap me.  
- Why was Lucifer killed? We don't quite know yet. He fought with Gox, yes, but about what? The cronie that has been feeding us info only knows that Lucifer was 'acting out,' trying to get more power. They had been arguing a lot, and so on. Gox is currently hiding out; Cronie doesn't know where.   
- And here we are! And from here on out, VEGETA has been trusted to stay alert for any sign of this monster. At this point, he wants a good fight, and would happily throw himself into the jaws of death for a thrill.   
- And this is where things REALLY started to happen...and if you're confused, don't worry; so was I! Ha!   
Until next time... 


	7. June 23rd

June 23, Tuesday  
  
8:56 a.m: I am extremely stressed out! Everything has gone to hell. ChiChi is now wildly suspicious that I am, in fact, having an affair with Goku. She has never actually said so, but it's so obvious. As soon as we were given the information that such a rumor had started, her eyes were cast over by a terrible shadow of wrath. She follows Goku around, and is more cross with him then ever. I feel like telling her that if she keeps THIS up, Goku WILL cheat on her! Well, if he were anyone but sweet, innocent, oblivious Goku...  
  
  
9:27 a.m: I'm more paranoid then ever now. As stupid as it sounds, I have a nice sharp knife hidden under my pillow, and have been browsing for guns over the internet. Why? So I won't be seen! I realize that I a gun probably won't stop an all power super being, but it's a comfort I yearn for, the same as people used to buy bomb shelters during the Missile Defense Crisis, though it wouldn't really protect them in the long run...  
  
  
10:30 a.m: Hmm. Parents are out of the house, and I am stuck here alone...metaphorically, for that pig Vegeta is somewhere. Goku will be here soon, though, to continue with the 'training' which I find quite useless, for it isn't as though I can fly, and shoot beams of power through my hands like he can. You know, show off.  
  
  
7:45 p.m: It's extremely horrifying for me to entertain, but Vegeta and Goku are, as near to the word under the circumstances...'friends'! I can tell that they love to 'spar' together, for there isn't anyone else out there that can give either of them a challenge. Oh, no, it doesn't matter that Vegeta tried to kill Goku, and nearly succeeded. It makes me so mad sometimes, that I just want to throw something at both of them! Of course, I must admit, if Vegeta did still want Goku dead, he would have already tried by now...but, he's not an idiot. He may be biding his time, gathering Goku's easily accessible trust, just so one day he will catch him off guard...I don't even want to think of that! I'm scared enough as it is!   
  
Oh, right, the training...well, what is there to say? It isn't as though I have much trouble learning to sense someone sneaking up behind me, or giving them a good pounding when I whirl around. Vegeta, who is so self centered and completely arrogant that it physically bothers me, often wanders in to be sarcastic and nasty, or to merely laugh and smirk, then stalk off again. Yet, there was ONE time when he didn't.   
  
Goku was having trouble being both the 'pretend attacker' and showing me the proper way to dislocate an arm with three separate movements. Of course, I am not actually intended to dislocate *his* arm, since he is All Powerful Goku, and it would be IMPOSSIBLE (again, I question the usefulness of this 'training' when the creep after me is also a terrible super force. But everyone (meaning my mother and ChiChi) agree that it is good to know anyway. Mother watches often, too, and asks to learn things that particularly interest her, such as the most 'effective' way to kick a man between the legs. And a nice plastic dummy is used for that practice).   
  
ANYWAY! Vegeta comes in there, and Goku asks him to hold my arms behind my back, so that he can show me the 'proper' way to do the exercise. Now, knowing Vegeta as I have, I'd figure he'd just laugh, say something catty, and walk away. But instead he said, "Very well, Kakarotto! And I can tell YOU if you are doing it right or not." Oh, come ON. I felt like saying that he was only volunteering as an excuse to get to touch a woman, but was too mad to even speak.   
  
I was kind of scared, too, for my earlier suspicions about his 'hidden evil plots' whirred through my mind, and I wondered darkly if he would come along and break my wrists. It wouldn't be hard for him; I've watched him crumble rocks before. But I didn't have much more time to worry, for he just walked over and pulled my arms behind me, as though he really were some thug meaning to steal my money or something, but only a thug rather then the full blooded Saiyin that he is. And let me tell you; I didn't like it. I don't want him so close to me, touching me, ever again! ARGH it was so disgusting. I didn't even wait for Goku to hammer out the steps of the attack again (I'M the one with the 180 IQ, remember?); I just went for it, I wanted that snake off me so bad. The first step is to jab a certain small bone in the wrist of the attacker, then grab their arms, and jerk them to the sides. And I did this, all in what was all of three glorious seconds. But then, Vegeta grabs my arm and pulls me backward, onto the ground, and I am looking up furiously at his cross armed form. Bastard!  
  
"What do you do now?" he asks, in his stupid, smart ass manner.   
"If you were a human being, rather then some freak from outer space, I'd kick your ass!" I raged, and got up and stomped away, hearing him laughing behind me.   
  
Goku talked to me later, said that he told Vegeta not to mess with me again (HAHA good thing Psycho ChiChi wasn't watching).   
  
"Oh Goku, it's FINE! I've seen the truth now; Vegeta proved his point well."   
  
"What point?"   
  
"Goku! Do you realize that I am being pursued by ALL POWERFUL SUPER FORCES?" I pause for a moment, struck by the realization that my life is a constant mirage of bad movie dialogue. "Goku," I sigh, "I couldn't defend myself against them! This is all STUPID!"   
  
"You have to believe in yourself, Bulma," Goku says all seriously. "You have power you haven't found yet, and this training will help you capture it!" Now I'm VERY exited, with visions of me 'powering up,' and flying across a twinklie twilight sky. And then I am furious.  
  
"WHAT?!" I bellow. "Hidden power? Why didn't you ever tell me this before?!"   
  
"I thought you knew!" Goku cries, backing away, wide eyed.   
  
"How?!" I demand, stalking closer to him. "You always told me, 'No, Bulma, you could never fight like I do. Your body wouldn't be able to take it.'"   
  
"Well, that was because you weren't trained yet!" I stop and narrow my eyes.   
  
"And how much time will it take?"   
  
"That depends on how much you're willing to give."  
  
"Then take me!" Incidently, ChiChi walks into the room at that very moment, and drops her coffee cup.  
  
"Oh DEAR GOD..." she says, white faced. I roll my eyes, as Goku looks at her blankly.  
  
"What's wrong, ChiChi?" he asks.   
  
"CHICHI, SNAP OUT OF IT! I wouldn't touch Goku with a ten foot pole," I proclaim, and am out of there. 


	8. June 25

June 25, Thursday  
  
4:01 a.m: Goku is making me get up extremely early today, as you can see. The stupid sun isn't even up yet. But Vegeta is, I heard him walk down the hall. Goody.   
  
4:21 a.m: I have nine more minutes. Here are the results of some horrible personality disorder test I took last night;  
  
Disorder | Rating  
Paranoid: High  
Schizoid: Moderate  
Schizotypal: Low  
Antisocial: Moderate  
Borderline: Low  
Histrionic: Moderate  
Narcissistic: High  
Avoidant: Low  
Dependent: Low  
Obsessive-Compulsive: Low  
  
HIGHLY PARANOID?! I'm sorry, but that cannot be. I didn't click yes for ANY of the obvious paranoid selections. This test is phony. Though I do not deny the other things it labeled me as...but it is still early. TOO early.   
  
4:32 p.m: Today has been a pain in the lower regions. It's bad enough that I have to bust my butt all day long, trying to vainly find my 'inner power' (beginning to think it's a bunch of hooey myself...well, for those of non alien blood). But...yes, what's worse is that VEGETA is always there. Always! He definitely has the hots for me. I'm not saying that in a 'stuck-up-I'm-so-wonderful' way, but in an HONEST way. Why else would he stand there all smirking, watching as Goku has me sit cross legged like some ancient prophet, trying to 'feel out' the power within? Doesn't he have anything BETTER to do? Like...I don't know...be all mysterious and reclusive like a good little Saiyan?   
  
He hasn't made any advances towards me (thank all that is holy). He knows better than that. I cannot IMAGINE him trying to 'get a girl'..."Hello there, what's your name? Can I have your phone number?" Just THINK of Vegeta saying that. It would be the most hilarious thing ever.   
  
But, fortunately, for all of his many (many, many, MANY) faults, Vegeta doesn't seem to have even one ounce of cheesiness in him. I guess that comes along with being a Bad Ass Full Blooded Super Saiyan Prince. He wasn't conditioned to put up a social front of sweetness. No painfully fake, "Hi, how are you, that's good, blah blah BLAH," type sentences. He probably wasn't hugged at ALL as a child. Yeah, "Aw, nice hit, son, you killed him nice and dead...come 'ere, kiddo."   
  
I would never, EVER even THINK of ... dating? ... Vegeta. No. Never. I'd sooner date ... Piccolo? ... No, Piccolo is better than Vegeta. Even if he IS green, with antenna's and fangs. He sacrificed himself for Gohan! Every time I think of that, it just ... TOUCHES me. Someone needs to write a novel about it...perhaps a biography of Piccolo's life, with some picture of him on the cover, in black and white, all intense looking.   
  
ANYWAY...I'm not going anywhere with this. I'm just rambling, because there is hardly time to while training with that hyper active, overly optimistic, determined Goku.   
  
10:07 p.m: Oh dear God. My life is forever changed.  
  
Goku advised that I go to the gravity room at nine every night to practice. So, I did. I decided to scope out the space, do some 'training' on my own. But only after a few minutes, the lights went out, and the door latched shut. My initial thought was; 'Oh, sweet lettuce. This is it, the big bad aliens have found me, I'm going to die, blah blah BLAH...' I looked around, seeing nothing, HEARING nothing, and then it hit me; this was Vegeta. Sure enough, I turned around, and there he was, all smirking at me.  
  
"That's it!" I roared. "What is it you--"   
  
"Be quiet!" he interrupted, but without dropping his amusement for a moment. I could clearly see that my Bitch Facade wasn't going to work with him this time, for which I was relieved, since I was sick to hell of it myself.   
  
"Fine Vegeta," I said in a low voice, immediately mirroring his smirk. I stepped back and turned to the side, slowly lifting my arms like wings, and one foot off the ground, extending my leg straight out. I looked at him, with his arms all folded, his eyes squinting, and his mouth all tightened into a sort of sneer. "Now," I began, very professional like. "What now? Shouldn't I be FLYING? Shouldn't I be spinning around like a dervish, dangerous enough to kill whatever is in my path?" I planted my foot on the ground, and my arms to my sides. "I think this is just as amusing as you do. But I am a busy woman, and do not have time to play your little games!" I raged, and started towards the door. But then--wouldn't you know it--an explosion sounded right above me, and before I could react, Vegeta had picked me up and sat me against a wall, and STOOD IN FRONT OF ME as this really stupid looking space ship plopped onto the ground. Yes, plopped. It is my job as Innocent Protagonist Narrator to make the Evil Antagonist Pigs seem as graceless as possible.   
  
"Well, just as I thought..." Vegeta said, extremely pleased with himself, and I decided that him locking me in here, turning out the lights, STANDING in there had all been a ploy to get the enemy to him. And suddenly, as infuriating as it was, I didn't know whether to be grateful, insulted, or scared to the point of losing control of my bowels.   
  
Out of the spaceship came a purple character, who must have weighed near six hundred pounds (pure muscle, by the way), with a messy thatch of neon green hair, and glowing orange eyes. Mismatch was THIS guy. He started walking towards Vegeta, but had his eyes on me, all evil like. It was horrible...I seriously thought that Vegeta was going to hand me to him, and I would be taken off to some secluded mountainous terrain of a distant planet, to become a concubine to this guy, and others, who would certainly be obese and unattractive, with names like Franchio and Jub Jub. But then, (my life is full of these), GOKU was behind the purple monster, and shouted, "Back off!" And then I was plucked off the ground by Gohan, who zipped me off through the hole in the ceiling, and suddenly, I was back in the house.   
  
"Hey!" I cried, as he put me down. "What is going on here?!" Gohan looked at me, utterly horrified. I took a moment to register what had just happened. "So," I began. "I was set up?" Gohan looked confused, and shook his head vigorously.   
  
"Dad sensed them coming, and knew you were in the gravity room, so Vegeta went in there with you. Dad saw the spaceship crash, and he told me to get you out, so I did! That's all!" That didn't explain the lights going out, or the door bolting shut, or Vegeta's attitude.   
  
Anyhow, the fight only lasted long because I knew they were all sizing each other up. I swear, all battles would be ten seconds long if everyone didn't insist on standing around, staring at each other ominously for five hours before daring to make a move. All the better to scare ChiChi with, I suppose! She sat on the couch, clutching Gohan to her, looking intensely out the window. A few explosions later, the spaceship was taking off pretty hastily, I tell you, and Vegeta and Goku emerged, on the whole unscathed. Dirty, yes, to the horror or ChiChi's white carpet. (when will she learn, I ask?)   
  
When Vegeta passed me, he gave me a very strange look, like, "Ha. Ha. Ha." I can't explain it too well...he just looked SNEAKY, as though we had some secret between us. YUCK. But then Goku was all, "Did they hurt you, what did Vegeta do, don't worry this nightmare is finally over, can we have pie, oh, are you sure you're not hurt?" and so on.   
  
Thus, it is official; the nightmare Lucifer bestowed upon me is finally done with. Evil Aliens will bother me no more, which means no more training. I'm a bit sad about that...okay, VERY sad. I was looking forward to showing off. Oh well. It would have been corny, anyway...not like everything else thus far hasn't been! 


	9. June 27 28th

June 27, Saturday

8:17 a.m: My life is boring again. Back to work, back to mediocrity, back to the shallow loneliness of an unmarried blue haired hag. Ha. All such sad things...sad, but true.

I could blame this sudden depression on hormones...after all, I've been up since six, my female reproductive organs going through their monthly exercise of trying to KILL me. The pain pills have pretty much kicked in, but yet I remain awake, flipping through channels of bad Saturday morning cartoons (no wonder kids are so corrupt!) where even gargoyles and mummies are having better luck romantically.

Has my bitchyness completely ostracized me from the dating worlds eligible bachelors? Could it be true that to find a decent man, one must be sweet and contrite, swathed in aprons and twinkly eyed smiles, heralding the world with homemade cookies and freshly squeezed orange juice for the youngin's? If so, I'm permanently screwed; I was born screaming and demanding, and could never be taught to act differently. Yes, I am literally a fully grown BABY.

Ugh. I wish I had someone to talk to...can't call ChiChi. She'd be so alarmed by my "behavior" she'd probably insist I see a psychologist, even if I insisted, in a wonderfully girl to girl fashion, that I was simply PMS-y, and just needed to rant for a few hours. She'd then tell Goku, who would no doubt let it slip to Vegeta, who would then come snickering to ME, where I'd become so enraged, I'd run off someplace and shoot myself.

It's infuriating, though, how everything comes crashing together in a picture of such alarming clarity during this time of the month. Normally, one can be easily distracted by inane daily routines, so completely absorbed in them, that they forget the absolute meaningless dirge that life truly is.

UGH, anyway...I'm going downstairs now.

10:34 a.m: Oh, good GOD. I was just sitting at the table, drinking some nice, disgusting black coffee, when in walked Goku and Vegeta. The two monkeys are usually fully clothed (in some manner), but this time they were topless. No big deal, right! I've seen Goku like that hundreds of times, after all, and it's long since stopped affecting me in any way. It's just like, "Oh. Hmm. That's nice." But VEGETA! He has no BUSINESS going around like that! I'm not any Maiden of Old, but what the hell ever happened to respecting the eyesight of women! But then again, we're talking about Vegeta here. I should be counting my blessings that he wasn't completely naked. It's a miracle that he even knows how to dress himself in the first place, UGH!

ANYWAY, I promptly looked away, feeling my face burn...in RAGE, not giggly girlish embarrassment, so shut up! At once I felt eyes on me, those snide, hideously amused eyes, and I had to fight to keep from exploding in RAGE! Luckily, Krillen suddenly walked in (of all people), and I quickly focused on him. Aaaw, cute little Krillen, frowning up at Goku and The Beast, suspicious and uncertainty all over his face like shadows.

"Krillen!" I said pitchily, causing him to jump. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, um...just here to spar, that's all!" he said, rather defensively, as though I was about to leap over and bite a hole into his head. Vegeta snickered, causing Krillen to look at him sharply, angrily, his fists curling. "Though I still don't trust you, Vegeta..."

"You're not the only one," I grumbled, and looked up gloweringly at the Beast in question, who merely smirked at me. I narrowed my eyes, and quickly forced my glare to the side; there was no way I was going to take in even another millisecond glance at that pigs gross body. But I realized that if I made such a spectacle of NOT looking at him, he'd arrogantly decide that I was embarrassed and wanted to jump his bones or something, so furiously, I settled my gaze on all three of them as a group, but mostly on Goku.

"Come on, guys! Let's not fight," Goku practically begged. Poor baby just wanted to play and have fun like a twelve year old. Pheh.

"But isn't that what sparring IS?" I demanded, even bitchier than I had intended. Goku and Krillen looked at me wide eyed, sensing my horrible mood with extreme wariness and fear (which never ceases to please and amuse me), while Vegeta snickered and crossed his arms.

"She has a point, Kakarroto," he said, very amused like, looking at him and Krillen. "You two are quite hilarious, letting her, a human woman, have such power and intimidation over you." He cast his cuttingly entertained eyes to me, and I glared back at him furiously, wanting nothing more than to be able to send some huge energy explosion at him, and see him go flying through the wall.

"Eeer...let's just go to the gravity room now," Goku said hurriedly and walked outside, Vegeta's words having no effect other than to cause him more fear over my increasingly bad mood. Haha. Krillen nodded and said "Good idea!" before flying out the door in terror. I raised an eyebrow at Vegeta, my turn to smirk at him in arrogant triumph. He stared back at me, eyes glinting with their usual amusement, as well as with that eerie LOOK that he could read my thoughts, and was sizing me up. I scowled and looked away, unnerved and annoyed. Snickering stupidly, he disappeared out the door.

Now this is truly horrifying, and I feel dirty even remembering it, much less writing about it, but...I caught myself staring at him as he walked away. I'll leave what I was staring at to your imagination (as I certainly want it scrubbed from mine), but...EW. Am I that hard up! Good GOD. If this goes on, I'll commit myself into a mental institution!

7:45 p.m: UGH...I actually went back to BED for a few hours! I had hoped that I would wake up and feel lovely and revitalized (not to mention SANE), but instead, I feel even worse than before. PERFECT! I'm going to drink some wine now.

8:18 p.m: This stuff is total crap. TOTAL. Not even a desperate homeless DRUNK would accept it. HA! Okay, so maybe they would...but they're nasty. Oh God, I'm getting tipsy..already? WUSSY!

9:0: HmmmmmM! Wish I had better news to report but i'm just sitting here, drinling! Like a lunnitic! Lunatik? Loonytune? HA! Leave me alone, YOU try spelling like thus, YEESH!

? DARK: Who caeswhat time it is, i know i don't! The house is emptyy...baaaaaaah, I can;t stand it here no more, gotta getout! Baayhe

tiem: wooah, someones outmy roihm...haheha

June 28, Sunday

7:23 a.m: Ugh. Don't you love waking up to a hangover? Just a few minutes ago, I was puking my guts out. I can't remember ever being this sick after a night of hard drinking...and, compared to the olden days when I drank illegally, I was barely drunk. Ha. What was I THINKING!

7:30 a.m: I've been sitting here, trying to remember everything that happened last night, but...there's so much black! I had almost forgotten why I had sworn abstinence to alcohol all those years ago...it was because of this! Also, I like my brain. Oh well.

8:09 a.m: ChiChi just called! So...great. Seems I went over THERE last night, and seeing how "cheerful" I was inspired her to "get tipsy" as well. Apparently, the explosions coming from the gravity room were especially catastrophic, and Gohan was in there. Hell, he was probably the source of the loudest noise. That kid is insanely powerful. But poor Mother Hen ChiChi was stressed out to the ninth degree or what not, so she decided to drown her worries with my cheap wine. Ha!

"I figured you wouldn't remember a thing, so I thought I'd call," she said, rather shrilly (even for her). "We acted pretty foolishly! Goku was very alarmed, though he had no right to be. I mean, I can't even count how many times he's acted inappropriately! Going against my wishes and forcing Gohan into war, for instance--" I could see the familiar My Baby Is A Genius, And Goku Is An Assface rant galloping up the horizon, and I knew I had to interject quickly.

"Uh huh, but ChiChi...what exactly did we do?" I asked, more anxiously than I had intended.

"Well, we painted eachother's nails, and watched 80's movies, for starters! All of my fingers are lime green now, you know I hate that color!"

"That's ALL we did!" Pleasepleaseplease...

"I said for STARTERS! As the night progressed, the crazier we got." She dropped her voice to a shamed, confidential whisper. "Bulma...I am so embarrassed. Never come to my house drunk again!"

"ChiChi! What did we do!" I fairly shrieked.

"Well...we decided to try on some of my old clothes, which progressed to old bathing suits...and can you believe that they actually fit? A few were too big for me! Anyway, you know that trampoline my father got for Gohan years ago?" I closed my eyes, feeling the first prickle of horror.

"...oh, God."

"Yes," she whimpered.

"Well, wait...that's not so bad! So we jumped around on it in bikini's, so what? That thing's in the backyard, no one ever goes out there but us," I rambled, practically hysterically. I had to believe that no one saw us, because then, who cares?

"BULMA! Everyone saw us!" Well, there went that hope. "And we didn't just jump, we danced around! We...we...yelled LEWD THINGS!" The horror was charging up and down my spine now.

"By everyone, you mean...?"

"Oh, Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, GOHAN! My own son! Seeing me, his mother, who's supposed to set an example, always HAS set a GOOD example, acting like a drunken hussy! I haven't been able to leave my room all day!"

"THEY ALL SAW US! What did they do!" I cried, wanting to scream.

"Oh, watched in horror! You're so lucky that you can't remember, Bulma! It was terrible! They all looked positively embarrassed, except for Vegeta, of course, who was staring at YOU as though Christmas had come early--"

"WHAT!" Oh, dear God...

"Yes, aren't you ashamed of yourself! Now he knows what you look like half naked! Anyway, Goku and Krillin eventually coaxed us inside, wrapped us in blankets, and tried to sober us up. I must admit, I'm annoyed just thinking about it. As though grown women can't sober up on their own! Well, Krillin brought you home. Vegeta wanted to, I guess, but Krillin didn't trust him. In fact, Goku said he guarded your door. Thank goodness for Krillin, I must say!"

"Oh...oh, God. This is horrible," I moaned. "How am I ever going to leave my room again! I'll never hear the end of it, especially from...oh, God."

"Ha! You think YOU have it bad! After you left, I kept on acting like an idiot, and even..." She trailed off, and I could all but touch the palpable strain of her silence.

"...What?"

"Well, let's just say that Goku may be too worn out for his precious training today," she said, rather smugly.

"...EEW! Geez, ChiChi! I didn't need THAT mental picture!"

"Oh, be mature, Bulma! Don't you see my dilemma? Now Goku will expect that every night! HA! I think NOT!" I could feel my stomach churning again, and shuddered.

"Yes, how horrible, your HUSBAND wants to sleep with you! I think my situation's a little worse, thank you very much!"

"Ha! Yes, I surely do not envy YOU." Gee, thanks, ChiChi! After that, I hurriedly got off the phone, as my mother was knocking on my door. She brought me some water and advil, loudly proclaiming how puking can make you dehydrated. Great. Just freakin' great.

12:28 p.m: I've been hiding out in here all morning. I don't think I have any puke left, at least. Ugh. I don't think Vegeta is here...I don't sense his malevolent presence, or hear him stomping about. I'll risk it, and go downstairs. It's too stuffy and gross in here!

7:30 p.m: I haven't seen Vegeta all day. I'm glad, yet not. I just wish he'd get home, make his snarky remarks, smirk infuriatingly, and be done with it! I've decided that I'm going to be stoic and calm, and just sneer at his attempts to rile me up. I mean, who cares what he thinks!

10:26 p.m: So, I left my room, and nearly had a heart attack when Vegeta was all of a sudden in the hallway. That bastard!

"AHHH! What are you doing!" I all but screamed. He raised an eyebrow at me, smirkingly.

"Where's your body guard? He was still stationed in front of your door this morning, though for what purpose, I can't say."

"What purpose!" I paused then, the familiar rage quelling. I couldn't say what I wanted to, because it would sound pretentious in all the wrong ways, and he'd deny it, anyway. But then, he beat me to the punch.

"If I'd wanted to do what you're implying, I would have done it a long time ago, not when you were inebriated beyond all coherence." He crossed his arms, his malicious black eyes glinting with amusement. I clenched my fists, my insides all but twisting in fury. How dare he!

"You bastard! I knew you were still evil! You may have gained Goku's trust, but no one else believes that you've changed...which, for your information, is why Krillin must have felt the need to protect me from you!" I suddenly didn't care what consequence my words held; I couldn't get them out fast enough, I couldn't wait to tell him what I REALLY thought. I'd been holding it in too long!

"Yes, and we've all witnessed the extent of his capabilities. I could defeat him instantly, and he knows that." He looked positively delighted and smug, and his eyes challenged me to continue.

"Maybe so, but you seem to forget that he almost killed you! You know, back when YOU tried to kill him, Gohan and Goku, AND after you had stood by as our friends were murdered by Nappa!" I was shaking at this point, and my voice was reaching some fever pitch. I seriously can't remember the last time I was so angry.

"And YOU seem to forget that we've become allies, regardless of the presence or lack of trust." He smirked more, taking a subtle step closer.

"You're a murderer," I said lowly, almost more to myself. "I don't care what Goku says...he's always been too trusting, anyway. I know you're just biding your time, waiting until you have the means to turn against your 'allies.' What will it be? Alien cohorts? Or are you pursuing the dragon balls in secret? Because we all know you could never defeat Goku on your own, much less everyone else."

"If I'd wanted to waste my time trying to kill Kakarotto, we'd be battling right now. I don't believe in 'biding time,' as you say. No, Kakarotto and I have a certain understanding. We need to keep eachother around, because no one else can challenge us." He was so maddeningly calm, I wanted to scream.

"Oh, how sweet...you don't try to kill him or destroy the earth, he conveniently forgets your evil history...just so you two can spar eachother!"

"It's more than that. I have no desire to kill him, or anyone else, for that matter...unless I have good reason. And at the moment, there is none." I blinked, admittedly stunned by the almost casual, offhand tone of his voice. As though it were the simplest thing in the world that HE was conforming to pacifistic ideals!

"Ha! You expect me to believe that! Everyone knows that you're obsessed with defeating Goku, that you want to be the strongest warrior in the universe, that you want to use the dragon balls to gain immortality! You've said all this yourself! Repeatedly!"

"Yes, but some things have changed. I'll always strive to be stronger than Kakarotto, but those other matters are of little importance now." He didn't continue, but the weird, all-knowing look he gave me suggested he could have.

"Oh? I still don't believe you! No one has such a drastic change in ideals so suddenly, unless they have ulterior motives. As far as I'm concerned, Krillen should have killed you when he had the chance!" I hissed, then stormed away.

Now here I am, and for some hideously annoying reason, I regret saying that. Not that it hurt his feelings. Oh yeah, I'm sure he's in his room right now, sobbing his eyes out. Yep, he's no doubt curled up in a corner, writing, 'Dear diary...Bulma hates me! WHYYEEEE!' Ha. Besides, I meant what I said. Or at least I think I did...it was exceptionally cruel, even for me. But I just know I'm right about this! He hasn't changed, he can't change. And the fact that he was trying to convince me otherwise is even more suspicious.

Grrr! I need to get out of here. Take a walk, or something. I have too much on my mind! Yes. Be back later! 

/NOTE FROM BULMA: How sweeeet. Anyway, the next chapter makes a rather abrupt transition, so be prepared! Here's some foreshadowing: I'll suddenly be writing from a hospital bed. Oh, yes. Sorry to disappoint you, but this story is about to take a turn for the contrived. But isn't my entire life like that? I can't help it if this is just the way things happened! Yeesh! Anyway, until next time/ 


	10. July 19

July 19, Thursday

10:35 a.m: Wow. This feels so weird. Don't be alarmed, journal, but...I'm in a hospital bed right now. I have so much to write about, it's not even funny. And I mean it's really, REALLY not even funny.

I was in a COMA for over two weeks, you see. Oh man. Is my life forever doomed to be the soap opera from hell? I seriously wonder. Anyway, it happened after that last journal entry.

I decided to go out. For me, this equates driving around aimlessly until I either settle upon some random destination, or end up back home. Nothing unusual, nothing new. It was sort of late, I suppose, but I've been out much later. I was deep in thought, still riled up over...things, so I wasn't exactly prepared when I turned a sharp corner, and there was some person just STANDING in the middle of the road. All I can remember is screaming my head off, and swerving sharply...right through a guard rail, and into the deep ravine that followed.

I can recall bits and pieces of what happened next, but it's all disjointed and doesn't amount to much. Such as seeing a blur of dark leaves as something crushingly heavy weighed on my entire body...and was then removed. Then hearing a confusing jumble of voices, and seeing vague, unidentifiable faces. And then, the memory that perplexes me the most...I felt like I was being pulled under, into death, I think, and I was trying so hard to fight it. Suddenly, someone (or someTHING) took my arm, and I felt life returning to me...and I knew I could sleep. Not die, but just slip unconcious for awhile.

I woke up the night before last, and let me tell you...I was a teensy bit freaked out, and am still very, VERY upset. I've had a lot of crazy adventures in my day, but never went into a coma and almost DIED. To make things worse, I can tell that everyone is keeping something from me. No one will tell me exactly what happened. You know, who found my car, how did I survive the trip to the hospital...because everyone keeps saying that given the nature of my injuries, it is literally a "miracle" that I'm still here.

How did this happen! Who was that idiot in the middle of the road? Why did I have to be the one who passed them? I can't even begin describing how I feel right now. It's so strange and terrifying to think that I almost died. I haven't accomplished ANY of the many, many things I've planned. I'm not even married! I don't even have a BOYFRIEND! To think that I almost died before I even got the chance to have a family, to experience true love! 

ChiChi brought me my journal today, after asking last night if there was anything I needed from home. She's supposed to be back "soon." She promised to tell me everything at that time. Grrr! Where is she! I think I deserve to know what happened to me! If I could, I'd get up right now and look for her myself. Or one of the others. I guess they've practically LIVED at the hospital these last few weeks. I admit...that pleases me. Though I'm kind of surprised that no hideous alien's conveniently arrived during that time to destroy the earth. Ha! Oh...someone's coming.

11:58 a.m: What the hell! It was Vegeta! I almost went into a coma AGAIN when he came barging in. I guess it's a universal fact: Saiyan's don't know how to knock.

"What...! Why are YOU here?" I asked, pulling the blankets up to my chin. It's so stupid, but I was suddenly very aware of how horrible I must look.

"They said you were speaking again. Not that I can't hear you carrying on from miles away," he replied, quietly, and with his usual smirk. But there was something weird about him. He was looking at me differently, and it was positively unnerving.

"So you came running over to see? I suppose you find this all highly amusing," I sniffed, turning away with disgust. I just wanted him to LEAVE, but he remained completely still, watching me. I was about to say something else, when the door swung open again, and ChiChi walked in.

"AHHH! Oh. It's just YOU," she said, regarding Vegeta coldly. He merely smirked and left the room, giving me a final penetrating look. Grrr! I almost died, people! I can't take his creepy, elusive weirdness right now! What the hell is wrong with him! Dropped on his head one too many--oh good, ChiChi's coming back.

2:47 p.m: ... ... I can't believe this. I was not expecting ANYTHING that ChiChi just told me. In fact, I can sort of understand why she and everyone else has been acting so weird and secretive.

First of all, it was Goku and VEGETA who found my car. Apparently they felt my fading life force, and came to look for me. According to Goku, I was still conscious, and struggling to escape from the car, which I was pinned under. Naturally, they were able to move it without any trouble. Now...this is where it starts getting REALLY weird.

Goku left to get help, because Vegeta informed him that they couldn't risk moving me in my present condition. I don't know what's more shocking; the fact that he KNEW that, or the fact that he cared. No matter, it gets even weirder, because he apparently stayed with me until Goku came back, where they "made sure" that the ambulence got to the hospital as quickly as possible. ...

I had lost a lot of blood, and needed an immediate transfusion. Sadly, I have a rare blood type, and it didn't look like I'd be able to survive the journey to the hospital that could provide me with that, so everyone went into a panic. Everyone was already aware of their type and knew they weren't a match, except...well, I wonder? Vegeta. Apparently even full blooded saiyan's can have the same blood TYPE as human's. What are the odd's?

ChiChi started crying at this point, explaining that she was sure I was doomed. "Everyone was horrified that he, of all people, had your blood type. All you needed was just enough blood to get you to the bigger hospital, that was all! I was so sure that he was going to refuse."

"...but...?" I inquired, my voice barely above a whisper. 

"It was the most shocking thing, Bulma...I never expected in a million years that that horrible monster--" She shook her head. "In fact, he didn't even hesitate. I couldn't believe it." All I could was sit there in total disbelief.

"You mean to tell me that...Vegeta...saved my life?" The words felt so foriegn on my tongue, and even stranger to my ears.

"Yes. And..." She clenched her hands into fists, her eyes storming over with her familiar rage and defiance. "It's just too strange, Bulma! He's up to something. This is just too out of character for such a heartless, murderous beast!"

"So you think he has ulterior motives?" I asked, rather weakly, as though the idea hurt me. Don't be stupid, Bulma! Geez.

"He has to! It's all part of his plan, to trick us into trusting him! He probably saw this as the perfect opportunity to 'prove himself' as a changed person. And it's worked, too, on everyone but me. I don't care what he does, I'll never trust him, not ever! And you shouldn't, either. He obviously has some kind of unwholesome interest in you--"

"UGH, ChiChi!" I shrieked. I held my hands to my temples, my head palpitating acheingly. "Maybe..." I hesitated, astonished at what I was thinking. ChiChi leaned closer.

"What?" she asked, urgently. I shook my head.

"Maybe he HAS changed." I looked at her, seriously. "Even Gohan seems to think so," I added, quite manipulatively.

"BULMA! Don't be a fool! Gohan is so sweet and forgiving, he even likes PICCOLO! Who is still evil, too, thank you very much!"

"Geez, ChiChi, when will you let up on that! Piccolo DIED for Gohan!" I raged, then paused. I felt so weird defending the least likely people.

"He just has ulterior motives, too! Evil people can never become good!"

"Uh, ChiChi...you do know that Goku was evil when he first arrived on earth, right?" I asked, suddenly having to fight off a smirk.

"THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING AND YOU KNOW IT!" she shreiked, on her feet now. She sniffed indignatly, and sat down again, quavering. "Bulma," she continued, calmly. "Just be careful. Don't trust Vegeta, under any circumstances! You don't owe him anything. His past actions are unforgivable and unforgettable! He could save us ALL a million times, and I STILL wouldn't believe he's changed."

"Yeah, I can see that," I muttered, looking away moodily. "And for your information, I'm not stupid! It's not like I'm going to become Vegeta's best friend now or anything."

"Well, good! I just want you to be careful, is all." Damn that ChiChi! Planting paranoid thoughts in my head. As if I need any more!

8:56 p.m: Visitors, galore! I have been repeatedly showered with presents. This hospital room probably looks more like the gift shop than even the gift shop does! Maybe I should almost die more often...? Hahahaha! Just kidding!

No, I have more bizarre information to unload. For Goku came and visited me alone, and he told me some very interesting things. I just knew that he could provide me with the most truthful answers to my questions, because he has no sense of self censorship.

"What exactly happened?" I demanded, cutting to the chase immediately.

"What do you mean?" he asked, wide eyed. I sighed. I could tell this was going to be a lengthy process.

"How did you and Vegeta find me? I thought only huge ki's could be sensed, even and especially when dying." His eyes brightened suddenly.

"No, all ki's can be sensed, if you know how to detect them, and especially if you know the person. Everyone has their own distinct energy. Vegeta actually felt it first..." He trailed off, frowning.

"WHAT! He felt it before YOU did? How could that be!"

"I thought it was strange, too, especially since he hasn't known you as long as I have."

"Exactly! It doesn't make any sense!" I clenched my fist. My heart began to pound, and I didn't even know why. "Well? What else! You two just flew to where I was...?" He nodded.

"Your life force was fading rapidly. Good thing Vegeta was there...when I was getting help, you almost...well, you would have died if he hadn't given you some of his energy." I blinked at him, bewildered. That's what that memory was...that mysterious life going into me. I closed my eyes tightly, and shook my head.

"And then he gave me his blood, too? Just like that?" He nodded again.

"He was really upset. The others probably didn't notice it, but I could sense it." I looked at him slowly, my heart accelerating even more.

"But WHY? None of this makes any sense...it's not like I'm friends with him, a fact I made pretty clear the night it happened."

"I know, it's very strange. But then again, he's always seemed interested in you. He's asked a lot of questions about you--"

"QUESTIONS! What questions, why didn't you ever tell me before, what questions?" He looked at me wide eyed, alarmed.

"I always thought he was just trying to distract me, that's all! But now that I think about it, they were kind of peculiar questions..."

"GOKU! TELL ME RIGHT NOW!" I raged, rearing forward and clenching my fists furiously. He backed away, putting his hands up.

"Okaaay! Well...let's see. He asked if you had a mate. I said you had been with Yaumcha, but that was a while ago. He asked what you did in your office all day, but I didn't know, either. He asked how old you were...he asked what you did for a living...he asked why you had never been married...he asked if you'd always been so...what did he say? I think he said 'bull headed and hot tempered.' Oh...and he asked if we'd ever--um," He trailed off, laughing nervously.

"WHAT! How dare he ask so many personal questions, and even suggest that...what a sick bastard! I'm really going to let him have it when I see him again!" Goku was looking at me seriously suddenly, and I blinked in alarm.

"Before you do, you should know...I've gotten to know Vegeta...and he's changed. It's been a slow process, but I think he's discovering his good side. He saved you, which is something no one expected...including him." I raised my eyebrows, shocked at how sagely Goku was sounding.

"Fine...let's say that's true. That still doesn't erase all of the horrible things he's done, to all of us! How can you trust him? How can you forgive him?" I demanded.

"Everyone deserves a chance to mend their ways," he said, rather alarmed-like, as though I was a demon to suggest otherwise. "He may have come to earth with evil intentions, but that was all he knew. He hasn't had an easy life."

"Oh, boo hoo! None of us have, so that's no excuse!" I paused, wondering what sort of hardship's he could possibly have encountered. 'Oh no, that person I just blew up got me all dirty! I shall blow them up AGAIN in revenge!'

"Trust me...he's been through more than I think he'll ever say. He's very proud, but I know he's hiding things." Goku looked dark and retrospective now, and I watched him, perplexed. No wonder ChiChi had steadily become pissier than ever: Goku's mysterious empathy for Vegeta was confusing to say the least.

"How can you be sure that he isn't just biding his time, gaining our trust, and waiting for the perfect moment to turn against us again?" I asked, anxiously.

"Noo, he wouldn't do that. Not now. Besides, he knows that he will never defeat me." Goku smirked now, that irritating, all knowing, all conquering saiyan smirk, and I rolled my eyes.

"You better be right. You don't exactly have a history of being the best judge of character," I sniffed.

"Maybe not...but I know I'm right about this. If only I could convince ChiChi..."

"HA! Quit trying. Vegeta could save one hundred babies from burning buildings, take a death blow for each of us personally, steal money from the rich and donate it all to charity, and win a Noble Peace prize, and she'd STILL insist that he's evil."

"I know...I just can't reason with her," he said, and sighed a little. Poor Goku. He just wants everyone to get along.

Anyway, I really don't know what to think right now. I've honestly never been this confused in my entire life. What does Vegeta want with me? Maybe his ulterior motives are even more unoriginal than I'd originally suspected. You know, maybe it's more of a "guy thing" than some Saiyan mentality of using my near death experience to gain everyone's trust to better blow up the earth with. Maybe he saved me because he's a rotten horny bastard who actually thinks he has a snow ball's chance in hell--

Oh, ew. I can't even finish that thought. It can't be true. I've always thought of Vegeta as an asexual being, like Piccolo, or ChiChi. I mean, all he EVER DOES is train. Even the others make time for a personal life, but not Vegeta. So maybe that's it. He wants a mate, and he just thinks I'm convenient? Oh, yeah, he's been on earth for awhile, and has yet to recieve any loving (unless he secretly invests in prostitutes, which wouldn't surprise me one bit), and he's obviously too lazy and socially inept to go out LOOKING for a woman, so why not just SETTLE for me? He's so arrogant, he probably figures that I'll be easily wooed by him...saving my life.

Grrrr! This is so infuriating! It just doesn't make any sense. Let's face it--I can't rationalize this without considering the most unlikely variable: Vegeta may have a heart. ... ... HAHAHA, I'm sorry, that made me laugh just now for so many reasons. It just flies against his character so profoundly, it's absurd. Yeah, yeah, Goku claims he's some "tortured soul" who's preferred sparring conversation involves ME (yeah right), and that he's a changed man who all but cuddles with kittens and kisses babies. Ha! Yeah, and I'll bet her writes flowery poetry and hum's along to cheesy love ballad's, too.

I need to talk to him, and demand why he saved me. Not that he'll tell the truth...he'll probably say, "I didn't do it for you. I did it so Kakarotto wouldn't use your death as an excuse to quit sparring." Or, "I did it in case the gravity room breaks." Or, "I did it because...I wanted to gain everyone's trust, and now I'm going to destroy you all, starting with you! Give me back my precious bloooood!"

That's another thing. All day, I've been hyper aware of the fact that Vegeta's blood is in me. Every now and then I shudder as some cryptic, cliche line meanders through my brain: "He's a part of you now, Bulma. There's no escaping it." Maybe THAT was his intention all along? Still, you'd think that someone as proud of his race as him wouldn't part with the cherished blood so easily. And oh yes, his race. His SAIYAN race. I can't help but worry that I'll die anyway from some adverse reaction of having ALIEN BLOOD in me. That it's been pre-programmed to DESTROY HUMAN LIFE. Or that the next time I get pissed off, I'll end up emitting a ki blast. Ha! Luckily, that should take more than a skimpy dose of warrior blood to achieve. Otherwise they'd sell it by the bottle in the black market.

But in all seriousness...I feel like crying. I've been avoiding the reality that I WOULD HAVE DIED if it weren't for him. I don't know how I'm going to react when I see him again, and frankly, I feel pretty horrible about how typically nasty I was when I saw him this morning. Oh well. He's probably sucking it all up, that bastard. Maybe he's relishing being the good guy for once? He'll probably be more smug than ever now. Maybe he doesn't even realize the magnitude of what he did? Whatever the case...I want to know. 


	11. July 20

July 20, Friday

10:13 a.m: I'm going home today! I know, you'd think I'd be stuck in the hospital for months after what happened to me, but there's a little something called senzu beans. However, I'm hurting right now! Both of my legs are broken, my left shoulder is essentially crushed, my left arm is broken, as are four of my ribs, and two of my toe's (only two! weird, I know). I had some severe cranial trauma (obviously) and a punctured lung as well. How horrible! But I won't have to suffer TOO long, as Goku is bringing in the Senzu beans later today. That is, if he doesn't get side tracked, like he always, ALWAYS does!

And oh, when the idea finally occurred to me, I demanded why he didn't just give me one right after the accident. As it turns out, Korin didn't have any at that time. Figures. Also, I guess I had lost so much blood, it wouldn't have helped me much. Ha! So much for THAT.

I haven't seen Vegeta yet. Damn. I just want to get it over with! I've even rehearsed a little speech, which will go something like this: "Oh, hello, Vegeta. Thanks for saving my life! Sorry I was such a nasty hell bitch the last time I saw you. But to be fair, you've done quite a few horrible things yourself. I guess you think we're even now...you smug bastard!" UGH! I have no idea what I'm going to say. None. Whenever I think about it, I get so unbearably nervous, I feel like puking or screaming or some combination of the two. I just know that things will be "weird" now. As if things weren't bad enough, with all the sarcasm and infuriating LOOKS, and the underlying weirdness that was already present!

Why isn't ChiChi here yet! I hate this stupid hospital! I hate being here alone, brooding over my idiotic thoughts! I'm so ready to go home, it's not even funny. I feel so inspired now not to waste anymore of my life. It's time to get serious about my future, since now I know how uncertain it really can be. Haha! I sound like an afterschool special. OH! Time to go!

2:13 p.m: Back home, at last! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do much but lay about here, sit propped up there...all because stupid Goku hasn't come back with the senzu beans yet! Where the hell is he! I'll bet he just FORGOT! Probably got halfway there, and suddenly wondered, "Where am I going again?" where he no doubt just shrugged, turned around, and found some nice aliens to fight with. UGH. I just can't take this anymore! I'm so tired of thi...

8:01 p.m: So I was just sitting there in the back yard, when Vegeta landed in front of me...holding the familiar bag of senzu beans. All I could was just stare at him in astonishment, no doubt looking particularly idiotic.

"Kakarotto said these were for you," he said, tossing them onto the small picnic table beside me. He looked annoyingly amused, which immediately ignited my anger. However, it was diluted when I remembered the unique predicament I was in.

"Where the hell is he?" I asked, focusing my eyes to the side as I reached over and promptly grabbed a senzu bean.

"At Kami's lookout, eating everything he can find."

"So THAT'S what distracted him. That pig," I mumbled, and carefully ate the bean. I could feel Vegeta watching me, and closed my eyes tightly as I swallowed and waited for the effects. Suddenly, a burst of energy jolted through my system, rippling almost uncomfortably against every inch of my skin. I wasn't prepared for it to feel so STRANGE. However, I couldn't allow myself to look all shocked and horrified for long, so I promptly rotated my arm, turned from side to side, and smiled with relief; my injuries were truly healed.

"The coward will probably remain hidden there for most of the day," Vegeta said, and I heard the smirk in his voice.

"He better. ChiChi is furious." I paused, realizing with a weird stab of shock that we were actually having a sort of conversation. He wasn't trying to aggravate my temper, I wasn't finding reasons to be nasty. Until I remembered with a surge of ferocity what I needed to do, and could feel nothing but that familiar rage. I looked up at him then, knowing that I was glaring accusingly, knowing that I was about to destroy the compliancy, knowing that I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Vegeta--" I began, but he shook his head sharply.

"I don't want to hear any obligatory sentimentalities of gratitude. I wouldn't be able to stomach it." I blinked at him in shock. He smirked slowly, crossing his arms. "You're indebted to me. That's more than enough."

"WHAT!" I shrieked, leaping to my feet. "I knew it! I knew you had some kind of ulterior motive! What is it you want, you reprehensible bastard!"

"Ulterior motive?" he asked, eyes all but glittering in relish. "I don't want anything. The entertainment value of this situation makes it all worthwhile." I felt myself fairly quake in rage.

"I'm so glad you've been enjoying yourself! Sorry if I don't find it as funny, since I almost DIED. Not that I expect you to understand or appreciate human life beyond it's 'entertainment value.'" I closed my eyes angrily and turned away, preparing some dramatic exit, when he snickered.

"You make such a mockery of yourself, Bulma. If you had died, you know you would have been wished back with the dragon balls immediately. Your dramatization is pointless." I could barely move. Had he just referred to me by my NAME? I whirled around, deciding I'd pretend not to have noticed. Besides...

"Then why did you go to such lengths to save me? Hmmm?" I demanded. He raised an eyebrow haughtily, his smirk only broadening.

"Reviving people with dragonballs is too time consuming," he said simply, though his eyes seemed to change a little, as though there was more he wasn't saying. I sharpened my glare, determined not to acknowledge it. 

"Oh, and you would have helped look? Somehow, I don't see that," I snapped, though there was an annoying tremble in my voice.

"You're right. I can't trouble myself with that at all. Which is why I didn't let it get to that point." I narrowed my eyes, becoming increasingly enraged by his unfaltering look of utter amusement.

"You don't make any sense at all! You gave me your energy, gave me your BLOOD, just so you wouldn't have to WAIT for me to be returned by the dragonballs? All because I provide you with entertainment!" He nodded shortly, but remained silently pleased with himself, waiting for my reaction. I felt so incredibly insulted, I clenched my fists with a new fervor and stared at him with blatant contempt. I didn't even care about guarding my words anymore. If he was going to be "honest", so was I.

"Liar," I said, coldly. "Goku said you sensed my ki first, and that you were really worried." I stepped closer to him, feeling a sudden exhilaration when his smirk disappeared. "What? You didn't think he would notice and tell me? Goku can't keep anything to himself," I said, quiet as can be, smirking indulgently.

"Kakarotto would say something like that. He is a sentimental oaf, and it's his biggest weakness." He leant his head back slightly, the smug look returning. "I'm sorry that you're deluded enough to believe such a thing."

"DELUDED! How dare you! You...you..." I felt my whole body trembling with rage at this point, and was getting even angrier at myself by the second for BEING so angry in the first place. Who cares what he says, a tiny voice in my brain argued! Calm down, Bulma! Just calm-- "I hate you!" I yelled. "EVERYONE hates you, I bet YOU even hate you, despite your swaggering arrogance! You should have just let me DIE if you weren't willing to deal with--" I shook my head furiously, not daring to even look at him now. I felt tears searing in my eyes, and turned away abruptly, wanting to scream. Why was I getting so worked up? I felt so HURT, and I was getting more infuriated about it with every sharp intake of breath I took. I sighed angrily, and started stomping away.

"Bulma," he said. Firmly, seriously, and so commanding. I froze. "As much I enjoy your temper tantrums, there is actually something I need to discuss with you before you tear up the lawn with your psychotic exit." I clenched my fists, feeling a sudden pique of overwhelming nervousness flush out my rage.

"If it's so damn important, why didn't you bring it up sooner?" I demanded, struggling to control my shaking voice.

"Because it was more fun this way." I clenched my fists with a revitalized fury, wanting to scream at him for reeking such havoc on my emotions. Instead, I forced myself to remain silent, wondering what he could possibly have to "discuss" with ME. I nodded shortly, and crossed my arms.

"I'm listening," I said, coldly, and without facing him again. But to my immense irritation, he walked slowly around, and stood in front of me. I scowled and jerked my head to the side, knowing that it was painfully obvious that I'd been crying. I knew he was watching me, that he noticed, and I felt my face start to burn in humiliation. He was silent for a moment, and I tensed, wondering what he was going to say.

"Your accident wasn't an accident at all." I snapped to attention, looking at him in shock.

"What?" I choked. His face was so grave, his eyes so utterly serious, I felt my heart skip in fear.

"The person in the middle of the street that night was someone sent to kill you. They never expected you, a mere human, to survive such an atrocious accident."

"Who? Who was it? Where are they now!" I cried, having to stop myself from grabbing him like I'd grab Goku.

"Remember Gox and Lucifer?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gox and Lucifer! What about them, what can this possibly have to do with them!" I fairly wailed. He scowled a little, giving me an 'are you finished?' glare.

"They weren't using you to get to Kakarotto. They were after you alone. And they were sent by the same people as the one who caused your accident."

"But...why! Why do they want ME dead?" I asked shrilly, and grabbed his shoulders, unable to stop myself. He merely blinked at me in slight alarm, and I pulled back abruptly, angry that I felt myself blushing at a time like THIS.

"I don't know. Kakarotto does, I can tell, but he is being infuriatingly secretive." He scowled a little, looking away. "He doesn't want me to know at all, and is so blatant about that, I suspect the whole thing has something to do with me. Though what, I don't know."

"I'll demand for him to tell me!" I vowed, quite hysterically. "I'll get ChiChi in on it, too. We won't ever leave him alone until he coughs it up!" He smirked at me then, his eyes regaining their devious glint.

"That's what I was hoping. He won't be able to withstand the both of you. However, whatever it is, Piccolo is in on it. He's aware of my suspicions, and will probably watch Kakarotto carefully now, and make sure he doesn't blurt anything out."

"Well, fine! We'll get Gohan to keep Piccolo distracted, maybe even get him to talk! Piccolo will crack in no time. That kid is his biggest weakness." Vegeta sniggered.

"That's a possibility, though I don't think the kid will cooperate. He is Kakarotto's son, after all. In fact, he's probably in on it, too."

"How dare they!" I raged. "My life is in danger, and I don't even get to know WHY? This is outrageous!"

"There's something else." He looked particularly dark suddenly, and I moved back tensely. "When we first found you in the canyon, king Kai's voice spoke to us. He warned us that if you died, the assailant would be waiting for you on the other side. He could see him there. He would have killed you again, and you would have disappeared forever, unable to be wished back by the dragon balls." My mouth dropped open, and I felt a sudden numbness clamp hold of me.

"But...why?" I asked hoarsely, pathetically, feeling the tears coming on again.

"This all started after that saiyajin brat from the future appeared. When he spoke to Kakarotto in private, he told him things he couldn't repeat, and that Piccolo overheard. This has something to do with that, I'm sure of it." I looked at Vegeta in alarm, as he stared broodishly ahead in thought.

"You mean...something about the future? That they don't want us to know about?"

"Yes, and that the person behind this is trying to prevent by killing you."

"But...what could that be? Oh, maybe! Maybe I invent something that is able to destroy the androids?" I asked, excitedly.

"I thought about that, but it doesn't explain why Kakarotto is being so damned secretive." I sighed a little, and tapped my foot, thinking hard.

"Well...if I knew ahead of time that I was meant to invent something so amazing, maybe that knowing would prevent me FROM inventing it? A sort of psychological thing, where I'd rile myself up about it to such a degree, I would be too stressed out to invent it at all?" He looked at me like I was the epitome of weird, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"In that case, why don't these villains just materialize now, and simply tell you what it is they want from you? If, by your reasoning, that should be enough to prevent it, why haven't they done it yet?" He was looking amused again, and my mouth quavered in annoyance.

"Because they're barbaric, simple minded imbeciles who solve everything through killing! And, like ALL aliens, they don't know anything about human psychology!" I looked at him pointedly, and was surprised when he laughed.

"Your insinuation is false. I've been around humans enough now to know how they function psychologically. You, for example, are one of the easiest humans to upset, given your lack of psychological balance."

"WHAT!" I shrieked, then covered my mouth, realizing angrily that I was only proving his point...which he KNEW would happen. He snickered, and looked at me smugly. "You're an ass," I hissed, then paused, realizing something. "Okay then! What was your own psychological reasoning behind that whole, 'Oh, you could have been wished back by the dragon balls, why are you so upset, blah blaaaah' speech?" I imitated, in the dopiest voice I could manage. "You know, since I really COULDN'T have been wished back."

"That was me just messing with you, and testing to see if you, in all your over dramatized notion of death, had forgotten about the dragon balls entirely."

"Of course I didn't forget! But dragonballs or no dragonballs, death is an upsetting notion to MOST people." He smirked.

"It's not that bad." I looked at him curiously, but his eyes were cast at the sky. "We should go see Kakarotto right now. He won't be expecting such an ambush, and may feel forced to reveal something to you."

"Hmm, yes, and the sooner I talk to him, the better." I started taking out a capsulized flying car, when Vegeta's voice stopped me.

"That will be too slow." I looked at him, and nearly toppled over in shock to see his arm extended towards me. His smirk curved into a sly smile. "What? Are you too scared?"

"Of course not!" I snapped, knowing that he knew that being scared had nothing to do with it. I gathered up all my dignity, and walked towards him as nonchalant as can be. But before I could even dispense some sarcastic remark, he swept me off the ground, and all but catapulted into the air. I screamed and grabbed onto him, too terrified to adhere to self control.

"You ASS!" I yelled, the wind noisily shrieking against my voice. "You could have given me some warning!"

"Did you really expect me to?" he replied, so smugly amused with himself. I scowled, looked up at him, and blinked back in shock. I wasn't prepared for how utterly close together we were. He was carrying me with one arm under my knees, the other around my shoulders, and holding me firmly against him. I wriggled ever so slightly, testing his grip, and knew with a start that I was secure, that I couldn't even break free if I tried in earnest. And the strange thing is...I felt totally safe. Not only that, but...

I cleared my throat a little, and tried to relax. "Are we there yet?" I asked, shrilly. He snickered, and notably increasing his speed.

"Don't force me to drop you," he replied, loosening his hold on me subtly.

"That's not funny!" I screeched, clinging even tighter to him. I realized angrily that that was probably his intention, but I wasn't about to retract my hold. Slowly, his hands clasped over my shoulder, and against my leg more firmly again, and in a way that can only be described as...intimate. It wasn't a perverted gesture; it was too gentle, too subtle, and even a little curious. Indulgent. And I found myself, to my own fury and embarrassment, flushing at the slight contact.

I was trying my best to remain detached, to not focus on his arms supporting me, on his alarmingly firm body against mine. Because let me tell you...the man is like solid muscle. Yeah, that should be obvious from just LOOKING at him, but actual palpable closeness reveals it at an entirely different level. I was starting to feel increasingly uncomfortable, and wished I had refused to be carried by him at all. I was even starting to feel angry, deciding that he had planned this all along, that he was probably enjoying this immensely, when he suddenly landed. I blinked, looking around at what was indeed Kami's look out.

Goku was only a few feet away and staring at us, along with an alarmed looking Piccolo, and a confused looking Gohan. I realized suddenly that Vegeta was still carrying me, and that it must have looked scandalous to say the least. I jerked away from him, and he let me go nimbly, no doubt looking pompous as can be. I stepped pointedly away from him and stomped up to Goku, reminding myself why I was there.

"Vegeta told me what's REALLY been going on!" I shouted. "Why didn't you tell me the other night in the hospital! You had ample opportunity, but I guess my knowing about alien forces wanting to KILL me is none of my business!" Goku looked at me with his characteristically wide, innocent eyes.

"It's not like that, Bulma...I was just...waiting for the right time," he yammered, helplessly, casting such a glance at Piccolo. The overgrown iguana scowled, and glared at Vegeta scathingly.

"I told you not to tell Vegeta anything," he hissed. I heard Vegeta snicker, and looked over to catch the deviant glint in his eyes.

"When we found her dying in the canyon, he didn't have much of a choice," he said, simply. I shivered at the reminder of that night, and it only piqued my anger further.

"When were you planning on telling me!" I demanded. "When I was attacked again? Or was I to find out for myself, when I ended up killed, and then destroyed forever?" Goku rubbed the back of his head guiltily, and averted his eyes to the ground.

"I was going to tell you tonight...Piccolo and I were just deciding how."

"What about him?" Vegeta asked, nodding towards the attentive Gohan. "Does the brat know all the secrets of the future, too?"

"No," Gohan answered for himself, frowning at Vegeta. "It's none of my business."

"Humph. What an insufferable, useless kid," Vegeta said snidely, to which I glared at him. He merely smirked, clearly hoping to rile them all up, and I rolled my eyes impatiently.

"He at least has the common sense to know why the future should remain secret," Piccolo growled. "That lives are at stake."

"And why should you and Kakarotto be the only ones allowed to know about it? Especially when what you're hiding clearly doesn't even concern you," Vegeta challenged, his voice taking on a more dangerous tone.

"Listen," Goku said, pleadingly. "We'll tell you everything when we can, which should be soon."

"Should be? Why can't you just tell us NOW?" I raged.

"Because then the future could be fatally jeopardized," Piccolo snapped. "When all is revealed, you'll understand why, and will feel very foolish. But for now, we need to focus on how we're going to defeat this thing that's after you, and unless you are eager to die, I suggest you cooperate." I narrowed my eyes at him and looked angrily away, knowing that I couldn't argue with that.

"Fine. So, who or what is it? Where did it come from? How does it even know the future in the first place?" I asked.

"We think it's some kind of android from the future, or at least something that was in alliance with the androids. It got here by the same time machine used by the mysterious youth," Goku explained, carefully, as though he'd rehearsed the explanation before.

"But how would it do that? Did something happen to the kid?" I asked, feeling a very weird sense of upset at the idea.

"No...the thing spoke to me very briefly," Piccolo said. "When you were still in a coma, it was planning on killing you. It has supernatural abilities, which explains why it would have been able to travel across dimensions. It wasn't expecting to be interrupted by me, and we spoke telepathically. It said it had stolen the time machine, and was here to kill you."

"But WHY!" I pleaded, my heart hammering in fear again. "Can't you even give me a hint!"

"No!" Piccolo roared. "All you should be worrying about is your life right now. We've had someone guarding you at all times, even if you were unaware. Since Vegeta lives with you, it's only convenient that he be the primary one. We can't sense the thing by Ki, and it seems to know some type of instant transmission, so it could show up at any time. We don't know how powerful it is, but it's supernatural abilities are concerning enough alone."

"Wow, I must do something really amazing to cause such a fuss!" I mused, being very disconcerted that even Piccolo was taking it so seriously. Goku started to smile in his goofy way, until Piccolo sobered him with a particularly fangy scowl.

"Perhaps we should start training her self defense again?" Vegeta suggested, in such a mocking way, I wanted to whirl around and cast laser beams at him from my eyeballs.

"We were actually talking about that, too," Goku said, with sudden enthusiasm. "We should at least teach her how to fly."

"FLY! Are you serious!" I bellowed. Not even ChiChi ever got to learn how to fly!

"It would be...entertaining, at least," Vegeta remarked, with a secret hint of amusement. I turned and glared at him, and he smirked knowingly in response.

"Can I help?" Gohan asked suddenly, looking up at Goku and Piccolo earnestly. Piccolo flashed one of his rare smiles, and tousled Gohan's hair indulgently.

"Sure, kid...though it's not going to be very interesting."

"I don't care...I just want to be where you and daddy are!" I couldn't fend off a smile at that, but Vegeta predictably ruined the moment, uttering a sound of disgust.

"How nauseating. Let's leave these useless people to their love fest," he said snidely, turning and walking towards the edge of the lookout. I rolled my eyes, and steadied my gaze on Goku.

"I trust you," I said, softly. "You haven't given me any reason not to over the years...but I wish you'd tell me things up front!"

"I'm sorry, Bulma...I really am. I wish I could tell you everything, I want to...but..." He trailed off with a helpless sigh. I shook my head at him, smiling despite myself. He was so annoyingly enduring and innocent, it was impossible for me to stay mad at him.

"I know," I said, and gave Piccolo a final glare before turning and walking towards Vegeta. "See you all tomorrow, I guess!" I called casually over my shoulder, and met Vegeta at the edge. His arms were crossed in their usual way, and he was watching me in a bored manner.

"That's your idea of giving them hell?" he asked, picking me up as casually as can be, as though I were just a small animal, or perhaps a chair or garden hose. I glared at his sly, prying look, and grabbed onto his arm, suddenly hyper aware of at least six eyes on us. I looked at them quickly, but they turned away. Well, except for Goku, who had this infuriatingly knowing, goofy smile on his face.

"Shut up, Goku!" I yelled, but Vegeta just scoffed, and burst into the sky in the lunatic manner so typical of his character.

I didn't say anything. No, I just squeezed my eyes shut, and pretended I was somewhere else, ANYWHERE else. In fact, I suddenly wanted to kick myself in the ass, because I had just had the perfect opportunity to avoid this, to have Goku, or even Piccolo or Gohan "give me a ride" home. I sighed angrily, trying to convince myself that it wouldn't have worked, anyway. Vegeta lived with me, it only made sense that he bring me home. Besides, my acting "weird" about it would only have proven that something was "going on" and I never would have heard the end of it. Not that I will anyway, when this all gets back to ChiChi! I imagined her hysterical voice, rattling the phone.

"I hear that Vegeta is flying you around now! You do realize that he's only doing it to cop a feel!" I rolled my eyes at the thought, and shifted then at the almost gentle curvature of Vegeta's hands, holding me securely.

Oh, no. Why is this happening? Because it IS happening, whatever it is. It's been happening for awhile, which I can clearly see now, looking back on these last few months of whiny, insipid journal entries. I've been denying it, in my usual stubborn manner, but...there's something annoyingly attractive about him.

There! It's finally been purged from my soul. It feels strangely relieving, like it was some spindly beast made of nails, bouncing around inside of me, and now it's finally freed. But at what price? It's like acknowledging I have a problem, and admitting it is only the first step towards recovery. What to do NOW?

Under normal circumstances, I would begin the wooing process. Obviously, that is absolutely out of the question here.

But why? Why should it be? Just because he's a cocky, insensitive bastard, obviously terrified of vulnerable emotions? Just because he wanted to blow up the earth at one point? Geez, come ON, can't we move on from that? Doesn't everyone make mistakes!

Oh my God. What am I saying? This IS out of the question! I mean, even if I DID decide that it wasn't, what if HE doesn't agree? That would be about the most humiliating thing in the entire world. The very idea of having to endure his endless mocking looks, the ENTERTAINMENT he would gain from it all, and the fact that everyone would hear about it immediately and probably admit me into the psych ward...oh, no.

Yet...I honestly don't think that would happen. In fact, unless my womanly intuition is broken, I'm pretty sure that he's given me more than enough positive empirical evidence to support my suspicions. Take the flight home, for example. I can't really explain it, but something WEIRD was going on. I dispensed my usual catty remarks, and he just smirked and provoked me without provoking me, but there was something else simmering, below the surface.

For instance, every time I'd shift to readjust myself, he would draw me just a little closer, which would "cause" his hands to slide ever so slightly. It all seemed very intentional to me, though, and what's even more alarming is that such a simple, inconsequential gesture made me feel...shivery. There's no other word to describe it. And I want to scream, because I've never reacted this way to just a simple touch before, not from anyone. I mean, I've wanted to...what woman doesn't want to find someone who's mere touch electrifies them? Unless that someone happens to be...

This is horrible. I wish I could talk to someone about this, but everyone I know would FLIP OUT if I admitted such a disgusting thing. Except maybe Goku, but he's the last person I want knowing about my love life. NOT that this constitutes as PART of my love life! In fact, it's nothing at all! It doesn't even EXIST! It's just a figment of my imagination! I think my accident caused permanent brain damage. That's the only explanation.

11:06 p.m: Goku just called. I didn't know he could use the phone! Ha. Well, they're "all" coming over tomorrow. I guess that means him, Piccolo, Gohan, and Krillen. And maybe Yaumcha. Haha, we'll see about that! Maybe being "trained" by all those weirdo's will help get my mind out of the gutter. I hope. Whatever the case, it should be interesting (and likely infuriating) to say the least!

NOTE FROM BULMA: Yeah, I know, it's taking forever for anything to "happen." But what did you expect! Vegeta and I to be sucking face by the end of chapter one...? Oh. You did? Well, too bad! Don't worry, things are going to "happen" soon now. As if you couldn't tell! Anyway, just be patient. Yeesh! 


	12. July 21 and 22

A/N: Hi, peeps! I'm really sorry that there are always such huge lapses between updates. But you see, I'm writing a book right now as well (quit laughing!), and it takes up more of my time. But I love writing this story, and I'm committed to see it through. That said, I've taken some (more) liberties with the DBZ world in this chapter. If what I've written about telepathy isn't actually possible (I don't remember the rules ever being explained during the show), I'm sorry. But...it was necessary. Haha! Also, things are finally "happening", and in a different way than I had initially planned. It's weird how that often works. Anywho, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review this story! The fact that people are continuously reading it means a lot to me. I love you! Yes. I do.

July 21, Saturday

6:02 a.m: I just have to say...it's way too early. Someone apparently appointed Krillen with the task of waking me up, because he sounded very nervous when he was mewing outside of my door. "Bulma, are you awake yet?" My butt! I'll bet even ChiChi's still sleeping. What a crock. I mean -- AAAAAAGHHH!

6:05 a.m: Krillen just came back. "Uh, Bulma...?" he ventured, and started to open the door. I screamed a carnal scream of rage, and threw my dictionary at him, as hard as I could. He slammed the door, and raced down the stairs, where I think I heard Vegeta snickering. Great. Vegeta's down there, waiting. The thought actually makes me feel nervous. Grrr! I don't want to do this! Why do I have to learn self defense! It's completely useless! They must know that, too. They must be really, REALLY bored. Oh well, here I go! After I get fixed up...for my own benefit, no one else's!

5:12 p.m: Ugh! If I DID have innate super human abilities, I would have used them murderously today.

I get downstairs to find Goku guzzling milk straight from the carton, Piccolo standing in a nearby dark corner, scowling impatiently, Gohan sleeping on the couch next to him, and Krillen sitting beside him, looking bored to tears.

"Geez Bulma, what took so long?" Goku asked, confused. I looked around secretly for Vegeta, but couldn't find him. Feeling a pang of anger and something else, I frowned. 

"What! It only took a half an hour! I can't just crawl out of bed, forget to brush my hair, and wear the same stupid outfit every day like SOME people," I snapped. He just blinked and smiled, not registering the insult.

"Ohh, you had to get ready? I dunno Bulma, you're just going to get messy again," he said, sounding more reasonable than I could tolerate.

"So! You didn't say that you would be here so early. If I'd known, I'd have set my alarm, and would have been ready by the time you got here!"

"Not true," Vegeta's voice said, and I whirled around. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, armed with his usual smirk, and mocking eyes. I felt a surge of annoyance and simultaneous relief, which only lead to more annoyance.

"Yes I would have!" I shrieked, and Gohan suddenly woke up with a start. Vegeta just snickered.

"Your alarm went off at five-thirty...you slept right through it," he said smugly, not hiding the deviously pleased look on his face. I felt myself flush with embarrassment, and turned away, crossing my arms defiantly.

"That's a lie! I didn't even set it," I sniffed, though I honestly didn't remember if I had or not.

"I know...I did," he replied, smiling slyly now. I looked at him in horror and rage.

"What! How dare you! I never said you could do that! In fact, you're not allowed in my room! No one is!" I managed furiously, my brain busy with thoughts of him snooping around, finding things...grrr!

"Don't have a heart attack. I won't be going in there again. I have never seen such an ill kept room...I almost wasn't able to find the clock at all." I glared at him as viciously as I could muster, but his smirk only deepened, and his eyes glittered malevolently.

"And I'm sure you're candidate for housekeeper of the year award, you lazy, insufferable pig!" I shot back. He silently continued to regard me with the same expression, and I turned away to see everyone watching.

"If you two are done now," Piccolo growled, "I'd like to get this experience over with." He stalked towards the back door, and Gohan trotted after him.

"Well, so would I!" I snarled.

So we went into the back yard, where they all started debating over what to teach me first. Piccolo argued that the "telepathy lessons" should be first, so that if the boogey man appears in my room, I could simply contact one of them that way. To which I argued...

"Now, wait a minute! I thought only real bad asses could do that!" I immediately regretted putting it that way, since it was practically a direct compliment to Piccolo, but he didn't seem phased.

"No...anyone can do it. The ability just has to be awakened. However, it typically only works well between two people with a certain emotional connection," he explained, addressing everyone. "Also, you only need to learn how to send out a very general signal...not even necessarily a word, but just a feeling. The person will know it's you."

"And what if I can't do it?" I challenged, feeling very skeptical of the whole thing.

"If Kakarotto can do it, anyone can," Vegeta interjected shrewdly. Once again, Goku didn't pick up on the insult.

"Exactly, and besides...you're so smart, it should be easy for you," he said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes, annoyed that my intelligence was apparently on the line now. I thought only my lack of athletic ability was about to be demonstrated for everyone to mock, nothing else!

"First, everyone will send you a telepathic message at the same time. Tell us who's voice you hear the strongest," Piccolo instructed in a grumble. I rolled my eyes, and prepared myself for the inevitable. I already knew who's obnoxious voice was going to tear through the rest.

"Er, Piccolo...I don't know how to do this," Krillen piped up feebly.

"Me neither," Gohan added, clearly deflated.

"Yes you do," Piccolo snapped, looking at Gohan. "You've just never tried. Neither of you have. Just concentrate on it." Gohan watched Piccolo curiously and imitated him as he closed his eyes, and started "concentrating". I sighed impatiently, avoiding looking at Vegeta altogether. Suddenly, the voices came...

/Bulma...can you hear me/ Goku, shouting into my head as though his brain voice were speaking on a cell phone with poor reception. Before I could bitch about it, I heard another.

/This is Piccolo. Just keep listening./

/Helloooo, Bulma? Um...this is weird, what should I even talk about/

/Testing...testing...it's Krillen, can you hear me/

/This is Piccolo again. Test my voice against the others./

/Bulma? It's me, Gohan. Wow...did it work/

/I guess I could talk about that time, when we were kids.../ All of this was happening simultaneously, and I was about to scream when the loudest voice of all drowned the others.

/What a waste of time. We all know how this will turn out, as I'm sure that my voice is the loudest right now./ I scowled, and shook my head out furiously.

"All right, everyone shut up!" I yelled. I looked around, Piccolo watching me with a bored look of expectance.

"Who did you hear the loudest?" he asked.

"Errrr..." I began, suddenly not wanting to say. "I heard all of you. Gohan and Krillen, too, though they were really quiet." I hesitated, keeping my eyes averted down as though in concentration. I could practically feel Piccolo's impatient glare. I sighed angrily and crossed my arms. "I heard Vegeta the loudest," I snarled.

"Then he'll be most likely to hear you telepathically as well," Piccolo concluded, not missing a beat, not acting surprised at all. In fact, both him and Goku seemed almost knowing. At least Krillen looked as horrified as I had expected. Gohan, meanwhile, was just happy that he had been heard.

"Oh goody," I mumbled, determined not to give Goku and Piccolo any more reason to be...suspicious, is it? Vegeta snickered, and I gave him an evil look. He stared back at me, smugly, chidingly. I turned away and flung my hair, snootily as can be. "So what now?" I sniffed.

"Now we'll test the longevity of your connection. To see if you still hear him from far away," Piccolo said, looking off into the distance. "Vegeta, fly about three miles away, to start."

"As though I'm going to take orders from you," Vegeta predictably responded, his mouth upturned in a derisive smirk. Realizing (too late) that I was just gawking at him, I huffed out a sigh and turned away. I felt his eyes on me, and he walked past, so close that his arm brushed against mine. It was so blatantly intentional, I felt a weird quickening in my heart...which, in turn, made me nearly quaver in rage. Or at least I think it was rage. Aaargh, never mind!

"We don't have time for your nonsense, Vegeta," Piccolo warned. But Vegeta just ignored him, and, after a final sneaky look in my direction, took off. Before I could stomp off the prickly heat that wracked my body, Krillen walked up to me sullenly.

"Bulma, I don't get it. Why did you hear Vegeta's voice the loudest? I thought Piccolo said it was based on an emotional connection. It doesn't make any sense."

"You think I don't know that!" I exploded, seizing the opportunity to act as flagrantly horrified as I should rightfully be. "It can't just be about some stupid connection, or else I would have heard Goku's voice the loudest," I reasoned. There ya go, Bulma, I thought. Work it for that Oscar!

"The emotional connection doesn't necessarily have to be based upon the closeness of friendship," Piccolo interjected. "The connection isn't even always a positive connection. But it is one, all the same." He spoke matter of factly, almost nonchalantly (for him), and I wanted to scream. But before I could throw some kind of tantrum, Vegeta's voice assaulted my brain.

/I'm sure you can hear me as loud as before. And I'm sure you're already making excuses as to why you can...though we both know the real reason./ I breathed in sharply, no doubt going very pale very suddenly. What the hell was he getting at! I sat down, realizing that I was earning strange looks from the others.

"What is it?" Goku asked, alarmed.

"She probably just heard that idiot's voice," Krillen grumbled.

"Er, yeah." I sounded shaky, so I cleared my throat. "Yep, it was him. Now what?" I asked, trying to sound casual as can be...which I realized was only more suspicious, as I never sounded casual, but angry and bitchy and nasty, so I glared at everyone quickly to save face.

"I'll tell him to fly even further out," Piccolo said. He concentrated, and we all waited as his face twisted into a sneer, and then a look of surprise. He opened his eyes. "He claims that he's already thirty miles out."

"I think he's telling the truth...I can sense his ki from about that distance away," Goku said, rather excitedly.

"How loud was his voice?" Piccolo asked.

"Loud...and obnoxious, as always," I proclaimed, grimly. I got up and crossed my arms, tapping my foot furiously. Entirely too fast, Vegeta landed beside me.

"Now what?" he asked, smug as all crap. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes, trying not to focus on how close he was standing.

"Now you two need to work together to speak telepathically both ways," Piccolo explained shortly. "The rest of us will go to the lookout and see if any new information has been unsurfaced."

"Uh, wait, you're ALL leaving?" I demanded, but regretted my panicked reaction immediately.

"No, Vegeta will be here...don't worry," Goku soothed. I gritted my teeth and glared at him as psychotically as I could manage, and he backed away slightly.

"I think that's the problem," Krillen mumbled. Vegeta just smirked, and looked at him arrogantly.

"It will be fine," Piccolo snarled. "We don't have time to waste." With that, he flew off, and the others followed suit. Goku hesitated, looking at us goofily.

"Don't push yourself too hard," he said to me. I scowled and threw a rock at him, but he was already gone. I stood there, stiffly, feeling practically immobilized. Vegeta walked around to face me.

"We'd better get started...I have a feeling that this will take all day, if not all night," he sneered. I nodded shortly and sat down cross-legged, trying not even to breathe too much. I can't even explain how tense and bothered I felt. And he noticed it, too...of course.

"It isn't difficult," he continued on, sitting down across from me, pretending like everything was normal, and enjoying every second of it. "Just close your eyes, and talk to me with your mind. Focus on the words leaving your mind, and entering mine." I know it seems like he'd be saying this unaffectedly, but that's not possible. The amusement positively dripped from each word.

"What the hell was with that remark?" I demanded, so suddenly that I even surprised myself. Vegeta, however, didn't seem phased.

"Remark? I didn't say anything," he said, settling his eyes on me slyly. I crossed my arms and looked away, furious.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, smart ass," I hissed, glaring at him narrow eyed.

"Yes...and I think the 'remark' was perfectly clear, too," he replied, unusually quiet, but without any less amusement.

"You're so full of crap," I snarled, feeling heatedly bothered. "Well come on, let's get on with it!" I added, before he could reply.

"You were the one who lead us off track in the first place," he said, smirking. I glared at him murderously, but he just kept looking at me, with that mischievous, mysterious, soul penetrating look that was starting to make me feel strangely naked. Determined not to turn away, I stared right back at him, calculating all of my defiance and pride into the focused carnality of my glare. He didn't look away; he didn't even blink. Then, his simpering voice attacked my brain.

/Are you trying to intimidate me? Because it's having the opposite effect./

"Quit doing that!" I snapped. "I don't even see the point in this, I can't do this! Piccolo is full of crap...he's just trying to keep me busy, isn't he? Don't you have to be born with this stupid ability?"

"No," Vegeta said, smirking. "But it can take months, even years, to master. And for a human, it can take a lot longer to do it at all."

"Then what the hell is the point! We don't have that kind of time...what are you people up to? What, am I the troublesome monkey you are all taking turns babysitting so I won't get myself into trouble? Because I have other things I'd rather be doing right now, you know, if this isn't even going to work!" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Are you done now?" he asked, obviously feigning bemusement.

"Oh, shut up!" I cried, and looked away angrily.

"Piccolo didn't bother mentioning the shortcuts that are sometimes taken at times like these." He held out his hands suddenly, as though he expected me to take them.

"What?" I asked, incredulous. There was no way--

"Physical contact is necessary to establish the connection," he said, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world. However, his eyes were sly, and I could tell he was trying not to smirk.

"Why should I believe that?" I asked, allowing the suspicion to dominate my voice.

"Why should you not?" he asked back, smirking full on now. I rolled my eyes and sighed. For a moment I kept my arms crossed and my head turned away. To be honest, I was incredibly nervous. It wasn't a matter of 'establishing the connection' to me; it was a matter of holding hands with Vegeta. The idea itself was absurd to me, like someone suggesting I have a tea party with the crypt keeper. Not only that, but I was afraid of physical contact with him. My crazed female hormone's had obviously fallen off their proverbial rockers recently, so why entice them further? But, my pride was also at stake, so at the risk of letting him interpret my hesitance in his own way, I put out my hands.

He did not take them right away, and for a horrifying moment, I thought he was going to start laughing, or say something snide. But then, slowly, I felt his hands move over mine, and our fingers intertwined. I half expected him to be an ass, and clamp my hands with a death grip, but he was surprisingly gentle. I realized that I had my eyes closed, that I was tense and definitely must have looked it, but I couldn't relax. I hated myself for it, but my heart was beating like crazy, and that unnerving, electric feeling was coursing through my body. I had been reduced to some freaked out, overly excited teenager...and we were just holding hands. AND, it wasn't even intended to be intimate! Well, that's actually not known for sure, but whatever.

"In a moment, you're going to feel the connection be initialized," Vegeta explained, in a voice that actually suggested seriousness. But since I was dead set against opening my eyes, I couldn't know what kind of smart ass face he was making.

"Initialized?" I asked, my voice a pathetic murmur. "Umm, what the hell does that mean?" I continued, trying to sound characteristically pissed off, but failing. I sounded scared to death.

"You'll see. Just stay calm, and don't go into a murderous rage...if you can even control that." The snarky tone was back. I clenched my teeth and increased my grip on his hands, even though I knew it was pointless. I waited, feeling an anxiety that reminded me of that initial fear before getting a shot. And then, I felt it; a sort of warm, flowing energy that started at where our hands met, and washed over my entire body. It sort of hummed and pulsed, and gave me a strange feeling of power. I remained perfectly still, too scared and uncertain to move.

/Try to talk to me now/ his voice said. I frowned and concentrated, still thinking it was absurd and would not work, but I had no choice but to try.

/Can you hear me/ I thought, loudly (if that makes any sense), and focused on directing it at him. I waited, and then his voice came again.

/Yes. Just as noisily and bothersome as your speaking voice./ I scowled, and almost replied out loud, but caught myself.

/Same to you! Why do our thinking voices sound the same as our speaking voices, anyway/

/It's a psychological thing. It's not only the voice we have assigned for ourselves, but the voice the other person expects to hear./

/Oh, how fascinating. I don't see the point of this, though. As soon as we 'lose the connection', I won't be able to do this any more./

/Yes you will. It should be easy for you now./

/And if it isn't/

/Then there's something wrong with you, obviously./ I could imagine the deeply amused look on his face, and was momentarily tempted to send him a telepathic scream.

/I can't stand you. How much longer do we have to do this/

/We can stop at any time. Just wait until I withdraw the connection./ Slowly, I felt the warm, buzzing energy drain out of me, and slip from my hands and back into his. I opened my eyes, and found the sun to be extremely bright suddenly.

"You'll probably feel light headed for a few minutes," he said, and I squinted at him angrily. My head throbbed, and as I squeezed my eyes shut again I wondered, with a stab of horror, if I would pass out.

"Great," I muttered, and shook my head around, as though I were trying to ease a marble out of my ear. I had a sudden urge to stand up, but he held me back. I realized then that our hands were still intertwined.

"You shouldn't get up...you may pass out," he said, in a voice that suggested he found this all to be very funny.

"And why do you care," I snarled, glad that I sounded more like myself again. "I need some water. I feel like I'm going to pass out just sitting here. Why didn't you warn me about how horrible this was going to feel?" I demanded. He snickered.

"Because then you may not have done it." He got up suddenly, slowly letting go of my hands. I figured that he was just going to stand there and leer at me, but instead he walked into the house. I didn't even bother questioning him, but just leant my head against my hands, feeling like I had just been spun around and around in a chair, and then clobbered over the head with something. I heard him walk back outside, and knew he was sitting across from me again.

"Here," he said, and I looked blearily towards him. He had actually brought me a glass of water. I took it and drank it slowly, knowing that it was not only unwise to desperately guzzle water like a dehydrated farm animal, but that it wouldn't look very becoming, either. I was too relieved to be very annoyed with myself over my sudden concern over looking 'becoming', and started feeling better immediately. I looked at him, uncertainly.

"Thank you," I said, in my haughtiest voice, and sat the glass aside. He smirked.

"I wouldn't want your weak human body to shut down already," he replied, fixing me with his familiar sneaky look. I merely narrowed my eyes at him.

"My body's not weak! Just because I can't stomp around under three hundred time's earth gravity--which, by the way, is just plain stupid and dangerous."

"No it isn't...not for me, anyway," he said, smugly.

"Or Goku," I spat. "You both sicken me." He just looked at me, slyly, and his voice resounded in my head.

/That's a lie./ I glared at him, but his expression did not change, other than to challenge me. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes, desperately hoping that it would work.

/No it isn't, and you have no business suggesting otherwise/ I waited, but did not open my eyes. Then, his voice returned.

/That's what you think...or at least what you think you think./

/Don't assume to know what I think I think/ I scowled, feeling a combination of excitement over actually speaking telepathically, and uneasiness over the weird conversation we were having.

/I don't have to assume anything. You make it all very obvious./ His voice was almost a taunt now. I felt my breathing come out sharper, and clenched my fists at my sides.

/Make what very obvious? That I despise you/

/No./ I opened my eyes to glare at him, and was alarmed to see that he was already staring at me. I huffed out a sigh and turned away.

"Anyway, I can speak telepathically to you now, whoopeedoo, I guess that's it?" I stood up quickly, but my legs wobbled, and I landed gracelessly on the ground again. He snickered, and I was about to give him the dirtiest look I could muster, but I was too afraid. I didn't want to risk locking eyes with him now, not when he was, in some demented, passive aggressive, irritating way, coming on to me. If that's what you'd even call it.

"We still have to test the longevity, you know," he reminded me, in a weirdly sensible voice.

"Fine, get out of here, then." Surprisingly, he actually listened, and flew away. I breathed a tremendous sigh of relief, my heart leaping out of some hiding place and beating in a frenzied manner. I knew I couldn't take it much longer. Just being around him was exhausting, and I didn't want to focus on why.

/Try it now./ his voice said. I pursed my lips and focused, hoping desperately that it would work.

/Can you hear me/ I waited, clenching my fists. Several seconds passed, and then his smirking voice returned.

/Yes. You're slightly quieter...not that that makes much of a difference./ I scowled, and crossed my arms, insanely glad that this seemed to be over.

/Good./ I stood up now, slightly dizzy, but nothing else. I crossed my arms and waited until he landed, almost silently, across from me.

"Is that it?" I asked, keeping my eyes averted to the side. He seemed to hesitate, and I knew he was looking at me, with those eerily penetrating eyes.

"For now. I contacted Piccolo, and he said they'd all be back soon. There apparently is some new information." Before I could help it, my gaze darted to his. His mouth was still quirked up in a smirk, but his eyes were surprisingly grave.

"A strange creature has been spotted, wandering mostly at night, and it's working it's way towards this area. It may have nothing to do with the thing that's pursuing you...it could be anything." I tried not to look horrified, but knew I was failing miserably.

"A creature? What kind of creature? Is it powerful?" He shook his head a little, keeping his eyes on mine.

"Piccolo didn't say, but I'm not concerned. Whatever it is, it doesn't stand a chance." I rolled my eyes, relieved to feel some familiar annoyance returning.

"So arrogant, as always. It will be what finishes you in the end, you and all of the others." He smirked.

"Don't forget yourself." My eyes widened, and I stomped towards him, unable to control myself.

"You watch your mouth, or I'll find a way to make you very sorry!" He just looked at me, his face set in an expression of such amusement, it made me even angrier. I stood my ground, glaring right back at him. I felt flustered quickly, and wanted to look away. His eyes were so still, so confident, so challenging, I felt myself being drawn in by them. I always thought his eyes looked evil, but after really focusing on them, I am reluctant to admit that I had been seeing intelligence, mischief, and deep perception...not evil.

There's some other things, too. Again, I feel the need to purge my soul. Maybe this could act as some kind of emotional exorcism, to rid me of these thoughts forever. So bear with me.

Vegeta is good looking. In a weird, unconventional way, all right! I think I've always thought so, but of course, this isn't something I was wanting to fess up to. But he is, and I was really allowing myself to notice it at that moment, which wasn't what I was wanting at all.

"Anyway," I managed, turning away, "I'm going inside now. I'm sure they won't be back for hours. They're probably eating, or sparring, or otherwise wasting time." I stalked into the house, hearing him snickering behind me, and went straight to my room. I took a nap after that, and only woke up a little while ago. That whole "initializing the connection" thing really knocked me out, and I slept for eight hours. Goody. Now I won't be able to get any sleep tonight.

6:32 p.m: Hm...I just went downstairs, and no one is here. Or so it seems. I'm kind of creeped out, to be honest.

6:39 p.m: Daddy must just be at the lab, and mom is probably somewhere in the garden. But where is Vegeta? He's not in his room (why would he be?), and he's not even in the gravity room. I'm tempted to send him an angry brain memo, but I don't want any grief about it.

6:44 p.m: Ugh, this is ridiculous. I've woken up alone plenty of times. Just because some weird, potentially dangerous creature is working it's foul way towards my home is no need for concern. GRRR, where is everyone!

6:47 p.m: All right, something is definitely going on. I heard some weird noise outside.

7:30 p.m: I hate my life.

I went downstairs, and stuck my head out the door. Nothing. I crept out near the gravity room, and checked inside of it again. No Vegeta. I went out into the garden, but no sign of my mom. Then I headed towards the lab, and was nearly scared to death when someone spoke from behind me.

"Finally awake?" I leapt backwards and brandished my arms in front of me. Of course (and I mean DUH), it was Vegeta.

"Don't do that! Where the hell have you been?" I blurted out, looking at him furiously. He smiled, smugly.

"Nearby. I saw you check the gravity room earlier. What is it? Is there a monster in your closet?" I narrowed my eyes at him and turned away, wanting to yell, scream, throw things at him, anything!

"I'm a little tense right now, okay! I don't like this 'being the target' business!"

"You're not in danger, so I don't know why you're concerned." His voice was shockingly sincere, which made me want to keep my back turned more than anything.

"Maybe I am in more danger than any of you know. Maybe these particular villains are just using methods of distraction, and they'll attack when none of us expect it." I tried to sound haughty and pissed off, but I couldn't completely conceal my fear.

"That's why you were taught telepathy, so you could send a signal if something like that happens." There was a finality to his tone that, for some reason, intimidated me. But I refused to let it go.

"What if I don't have time to? What if they appear in my room, and, I don't know, kill me when I'm sleeping, hmm?" I sounded more upset now, and he walked in front of me.

"Your father has completed a sophisticated security system that will go off whenever something new enters the house. Unless it is entered into the computer, it will be deemed as unrecognized, and an alarm will sound." I blinked in surprise, more at the serious nature of his tone than at the information itself.

"Daddy didn't tell me about this," I muttered.

"He didn't want to upset you. The man value's his sanity, and his ear drums, apparently." The amusement tugged at his mouth, but his eyes remained hard.

"Fine. So, did the others return yet?" I demanded.

"Yes. The creature is either concealing it's power level, or doesn't have one. So we're not able to find it. It is a steadily moving being, and most likely alien. It's only a minor concern, but the others are staying nearby, just in case." He paused, the humorous expression returned fully to his face. "Anything else?"

"No," I snapped, assuming a note of regality. I glowered at him for a moment longer, and came back in the house.

I can't relax now. I have this horrible feeling of dread. I'm starting to feel glad that I'll be up all night, because I'm too scared to sleep. Ugh! I really hate this.

10:34 p.m: I've just watched two movies in a row, and I'm on my third. At least movies offer an insipid distraction that engages my brain just enough to keep me from going totally insane. Or maybe it's too late? Oh, shut up.

12:28 a.m: Okay...now I KNOW that I heard a weird noise outside. I wonder if Vegeta heard it, too?

July 22, Sunday

12:39 p.m: So, onto what happened last night. Or this morning, if you want to be technical.

A little while after that midnight entry, the alarm went off. I ran out into the hall, and Vegeta was already there. Before I could start flipping out, he grabbed me and pulled us against the wall, holding his hand over my mouth. My initial reaction was to struggle, but then I saw this truly strange creature crawling across the hall right in front of us. It looked like a shimmering blob of splotchy green, though it left no residue behind it. It seemed to flicker between being physical and turning ghost like.

Vegeta slowly withdrew his hand, and I looked at him. He stayed perfectly still and watched the creature. I did the same, and when it seemed wholly more physical than incorporeal, he held out his finger, and zapped it. The smoke cleared, and a tiny pile of ashes remained.

"What was that?" I asked, breathlessly.

"A spy," he said, still glaring at the ashes. "And more than that, an assassin. A creature that sucks the life from it's victims in their sleep." I gasped a little.

"I'm glad I wasn't sleeping, then."

"Not that it would have mattered. You weren't it's intended victim." He indicated the direction of the creature, and I looked at him in confusion.

"It was after you?"

"Why not?" he asked, and the smirk was back. "Best to get me out of the way." I frowned at him, and then realized that I was holding onto him as if for dear life. I stepped away quickly, and stuck my nose up.

"Well, it failed. I guess that was the strange creature coming steadily towards us?"

"It would seem as such." I scoffed.

"How annoying. Who's going to clean up this mess?" As if on cue, my mother appeared from around the corner.

"Oh, dear, how horrifying! Your father's on his way, I'm sure he'll want to take a look at whatever it is." She turned her adoring face to Vegeta, and I noticed (with great annoyance) that she had apparently applied lip stick and blush before gracing us with her presence.

"Good. Then I'll go back to bed."

"More like back to watch those awful movies," Vegeta muttered. I sneered at him, and stormed back into my room, my mother right behind me.

"Oh dear, I'll go with you. I couldn't possibly sleep now!" So my mother managed to stay awake for only half of the movie she insisted on watching, and then passed out on the end of my bed. I would have written in here then, but I was afraid she'd wake up, and demand to see it. I have to keep this thing hidden in a capsule, in a sock, under my dresser. She is THAT nosey.

2:24 p.m: ...

2:46 p.m: ...

3:01 p.m: Okay. I've been sitting here for (as you can see) more than thirty minutes, just too paralyzed to write. Something happened, and I don't know how to go about retelling it. I don't even know if I should...except that if I don't, I may implode. I definitely can't talk to anyone about this, so it's just down to you and me, diary. Like always. So, here's what happened.

I decided to go into my office, and get some work done. I haven't done anything productive in so long, after all.

I dug out my blueprints, files, and disks, old and new, and went about going over them, and organizing them. It was busy work, something I was always whining about wanting to hire an assistant for, but since I'm too controlling and paranoid for an assistant (I'll admit it, okay!), I finally sucked it up, and started doing it myself.

I was getting into it, and reminiscing on the good old days when evil aliens wanted to destroy earth as a whole, not me specifically, when I saw some weird shape appear in front of the frosted window of my lab. Before I could rationally appraise the situation (after all, it could have been my mom, or Goku, or Santa Clause), my brain reacted, and I mentally yelled//Vegeta/ To my alarm, the door opened...and there Vegeta was, looking uncharacteristically alarmed.

"What is it?" he asked, appraising the room for monsters.

"Just you," I grumbled. "You scared the crap out of me just now." He smiled slyly and walked in, shutting the door. I felt an immediate nervousness, but steadied myself.

"You've gotten very uneasy lately," he observed, scanning the piles of papers and things occupying a better part of the room.

"Yeah, well, it's not my fault. Now get out, I didn't say you could come in here. This is my private office!" He snorted.

"Private indeed. I could come in here anytime I wanted, and you'd never know." I pursed my lips and glowered at him. I suddenly imagined him looking through my things, seeing my ideas, reading my experiments, and laughing the whole time.

"You better not," I hissed. "I could invent things that would really make you miserable, you know! Like an energy reducer, or a thought reader--"

"And are you sure you'd want to read my thoughts?" he asked quickly, taking a step closer to me. His eyes were more than suggestive, and I felt transfixed. I knew I had to escape. I blinked away and stormed past him, heading quickly for the door, when he grabbed my arm.

"Hey! Let go of me!" I cried, attempting in vain to wrench my arm away. I pushed my other hand against his shoulder, but he grabbed my wrist, and held me steady. I looked at him furiously, but was met with that stare. His all knowing eyes were locked on mine, a pointedly different look in them now. Under normal circumstances, I'd go ballistic on anyone who dared to look at me that way, but this time, it had a very different effect. I suddenly couldn't move, even if I had wanted to. His hands slid slowly up my arms, and I felt myself shiver.

"Let me go," I managed, in a small, unconvincing voice. But he just shook his head, slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Don't say things you don't mean." Familiar anger rushed back to me, and I tried to jerk away, but his hands held me fast.

"Let--me--go!" I snarled, thrashing as violently as I could manage, but he just stood there, holding me back with infuriating ease. I knew that if I quit resisting, even for a moment, I would be sunk. Because I didn't want to resist, and he knew it. This is what fueled my anger more than anything; he knew that my stubbornness alone was restricting me from giving up, and giving in to...whatever the hell this was. But I was not going down without a fight.

I mustered up all of my viciousness into a deathly glare, and settled it on him searingly. "Let go of me, you monster, I hate you!" My voice seemed to reiterate off the walls, and I glared at him. His eyes flashed, and for a moment, I was afraid that I had gone too far. But he merely shook his head, slowly, and slid his hands down my arms in a way that was so alarmingly sensual, I felt that strange electricity resonate over my entire body. I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I looked at him again, some of the typical slyness had returned to his expression.

"No you don't." I shook my head now and glared at him, though I was trying not to smirk. 

"Shut up." He just looked at me, his hands still on my arms, and mine on his. I stared at him, at his mysterious eyes that had me frozen in place again, and I wondered what was going to happen now. Actually, I knew what would happen, and a jolt of fear quickened my heart. That's when I realized that my trepidation all along had not been due to disgust, or morality, but fear. I was terrified of how carnal and how real my feelings were.

I turned away, and attempted again to escape, but this time, he pulled me back roughly, nearly swinging me fully around. Before I could properly glare at him, I heard his voice,

/What are you afraid of/

"Nothing!" I snapped out loud, unable to concentrate on telepathy. I looked boldly into his eyes, and saw the challenge there, the never waning slyness.

"Yes you are. I once thought you were unusually fearless for a woman, but it seems I was mistaken. You are in fact unusually cowardly." My eyes flew open wider than ever, and I shoved against him.

"If anyone's cowardly, it's you! Now let me go, I'm done with you!" But he didn't looked phased. In fact, his smirk only deepened.

"Coward," he murmured.

"Shut up! I am not!"

"Cowardly woman, petrified even of herself," he went on, tauntingly.

"What!" I raged. I breathed in deeply, and leveled him with a wary look. "I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work," I said quickly, trying to control my voice.

"I think it's already working...coward," he said, looking so smug and amused, I remembered all over again why I couldn't stand him.

"Just let me go! This isn't fair, what with your strength advantage!"

"That's not the only advantage I have."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" He remained silent, and his expression only became more smugly elusive. "Oh, forget it, I probably don't even want to know."

"Of course not. The truth would just scare you."

"The truth? You're a lunatic. Now let me go, or I will start screaming!"

"You haven't been already?"

"Just shut up, and let me go! Now!" I looked at him warningly. /I will scream./

/I don't doubt it...coward./ Before I could angrily retort, his hands slid off of me, and he stepped away. Instead of looking defeated, he looked even more smug (if that's possible). "I'll leave you to your 'inventing.'" He walked towards the door, then paused, looking over his shoulder. "Your language deciphering adapter will never work on the Saiyajin language, though, so you can just quit trying." My insides flooded with horror.

"You bastard, how dare you read my notes! And--and how do you know?"

"I just do." I remembered then that I hadn't come across those notes yet. I just figured they were buried somewhere, but now I knew better.

"Give them back," I demanded, lowly. I walked towards him, in a way that would have scared Krillen or Goku, but Vegeta merely crossed his arms and watched me with that amused look.

"Give what back?" He sounded blasé, but his smirk contradicted that.

"You smart ass, those notes are mine, my property, MINE!" His eyes shifted around the room quickly, and he plucked a folder from one of the piles, opening it up.

"Making androids of your own, are you?" he asked, airily. I literally felt the color drain away from my face. That was the last file I wanted him, or anyone else, to ever see!

"Give me that!" I yelled, and sprinted over to him, attempted to snatch back the file. But he kept turning, and of course, I couldn't force his arms to yield to me.

"Why does it look just like that insufferable movie actor?" he asked, smirking at me from behind the folder. "'Designed to be the perfect companion for single women'?"

"GIVE ME THAT!" I knew I was likely turning all shades of red now, but I didn't care.

"'Companion', hmmm? 'Fits into a capsule for convenient and private transport. Perfect if you need a last minute date for any social event.'"

"I mean it, give that back, or else!" I screeched, but he just kept on reading.

"'Will behave according to what program you insert, whether it be--" He paused for effect. "--'The perfect gentleman, or the--" He paused again, clearly struggling not to laugh. "'--irresistible bad boy.'" I clenched my fists and felt my cheeks burn.

"Are you done now!" I demanded. "That file is really old, okay!"

"Then why is it dated as being 'complete' as of February of this year?" I scowled, and jumped for it, but he turned nimbly to the side. "Perhaps Kakarotto would be interested in seeing this? He would no doubt tell that wife of his."

"No," I said, sounding as panicked as I felt. "Don't you dare!" I lunged at him again, but he merely stepped to the side, looking at me with great amusement.

"I wasn't aware that you preferred robotic men over real men," he said, snidely.

"'Real' men?" I cried. "And what are 'real' men? Clueless, overgrown children, like Goku? Or maybe womanizing, horny animals, like...like some? Or maybe, MAYBE, arrogant, hateful bastards like you!" I threw my full weight against him, and managed to grab the file, but I couldn't wrench it away from him. I looked at him slowly, my left hand holding fast onto the folder, my right pushed up against his chest, as though to gain some leverage. He stared back at me, the malevolent, sneaky look glittering in full force. I wriggled against him uselessly, but he only increased his hold on me. I looked away defiantly, gathering up every ounce of strength I could dig up, and faced him again. His expression had changed drastically, and so drastically, it made my heart quicken.

I had never seen his eyes look so serious before, so fierce and demanding, yet practically tender. Seeming to catch himself, he blinked, and took on a studiedly haughty expression. But there was still a foreign look in his eyes, a glint of something different, and it took a moment before I recognized it: It was fear. The realization washed over me in amazement. Could it be possible that he was just as terrified of experiencing these feelings as I was? 

"Well," he said, softly, the automatic smirk returning. "I'll let you keep your secret for now." He released the file, and started for the door. I knew he would definitely leave this time, and for some reason, I didn't want him to. I dropped the folder on the ground and stepped purposely in front of him.

"No. You're not leaving until we settle this," I said, more angrily than I had intended. He rose an eyebrow at me.

"Settle what?" he asked. No slyness, no knowing look, no smirk. Being on the receiving end of the person playing dumb was infuriating.

"Don't start," I warned, my voice sounding unsteady. I didn't want to have to say, to try and explain what we both already knew was going on. But I hadn't made it easy, and he wasn't going to make it easy, either.

"You'll get your file back. I merely need to make some alterations," he said smoothly, and the smirk returned. But the suggestiveness it once contained was gone. Everything his expression had once revealed, only moments earlier, was gone.

"I don't care about the damn file!" I snapped. He crossed his arms, and looked at me as if he didn't even know me. He had revealed too much, and now he wanted to run away, plain and simple, and there was no way in hell I was going to allow it.

"Fine. Then I'll use it to kill flies with," he said snarkily, and started to walk around me. I blocked his way again, and his expression turned dangerous. It had been a long time since I had seen the Evil, Intimidating Look Vegeta had once over used, and I didn't like it. But I was determined, and glared right back at him. /I would move if I were you/ his voice warned.

/Or else what? You'll kill me/ I retorted. He narrowed his eyes, and stalked roughly past me, but I stood in front of the door, and steadied myself. I felt a weird nervousness quell fiercely in my stomach, and spread through my body rapidly. My heart seemed to lurch at unpredictable bursts as it pounded away.

"Don't make me move you," he said lowly, but with such darkness, I had to brace myself.

"Go ahead and try," I challenged. His eyes flared up, and he took a sudden step forward, but I only flattened myself against the door.

"Move!" he growled, and stepped closer again, so close that there were hardly two inches between us.

"Make me!" I shouted back. Our eyes met in a vicious, battling glare, and for several endless seconds, we didn't move or speak, or even blink. But then, to my shock, he looked away first. Looking deeply perturbed and keeping his eyes averted down, he stepped to the side. This was it, I knew. He was going to move me aside, and leave. What would happen then, I didn't want to think about. Things would get weird, in an awful, uncomfortable, suspicious way. It occurred to me that he may even wind up disappearing altogether. I didn't want that to happen. It's weird, but the very idea was extremely upsetting to me. I felt an intense desperation then, an urgent, overwhelming rush of emotions. I had to settle it now, I knew.

"Don't go," I said. He looked up, alarmed. "Don't go," I repeated, more calmly than I felt. He narrowed his eyes and gave me his most arrogant look before walking onward. I watched him, and felt all of my conflicting feelings for him boil to the surface tumultuously, and, mustering up every ounce of brazen confidence I had, I stepped in front of him again. Before a word or look could be exchanged, I grabbed his arms, moved forcefully against him, and kissed him.

I could hardly believe what I had just done, but I didn't care. Nothing else mattered at that moment, except how he responded. For the first few seconds, he seemed frozen in place. About a thousand thoughts raced through my head, none of them encouraging (Maybe he doesn't know how to kiss, Maybe you got it all wrong and he really doesn't like you that way, Maybe he's actually gay...). I was about to pull away and flee the room (and maybe even the country) when he finally kissed me back.

I had wanted the kiss to either confirm of negate our weird attraction, to settle everything once and for all. The second that I felt his lips respond, and his arms slowly but powerfully encircle me and draw me closer, I knew. I sank against him and cast aside all inhibitions, surprising myself with the ferocity I suddenly felt, finally free now to pour every single repressed feeling into that kiss, into that moment. Seeming to take it as a challenge, he kissed me back with an unbelievable carnal passion, and I felt myself press up against the wall.

I have never been kissed like that before, with such vehement need, and yet with such tenderness, too. His hands moved to my face, gently, and I was almost shocked when he kissed me deeper. I slid my hands to his shoulders and clasped them appreciatively, breathing in sharply at the fully realized electrical feeling kissing him like this was causing.

I have to give Vegeta his props. Everything he did, from the commanding way his mouth moved against mine, to the gentleness of his hands pressed against me, was so sensual, so masterful, I couldn't repress the small noises that practically purred from my throat. I was in no way prepared, nor could I have ever imagined, how good of a kisser he was.

We pulled back slowly, and I pursed my still tingling lips together, my eyes still closed. He ran his thumb lightly down my cheek, and I looked at him, meeting his gaze. The smirk was back, but his eyes were different now, alive with fire and affection alike.

"Am I still a coward?" I asked breathlessly, unable to contain a smug smile. He smirked more in response.

"No. You never were. I was just messing with you."

"You bastard. You were probably planning this." My voice was husky and teasing now, and I barely recognized it. I felt dizzy and weightless, tingly all over. He shook his head, ran his thumb lightly over my lips, and my eyes fluttered shut again.

"How could I have possibly planned that?" His thumb moved over my cheek, and I looked at him again, slowly. "Kakarotto is here," he said simply, his hand edging near my hair now.

"What! Where?" I asked, looking around in horror. He snickered.

"Outside. Him and his brat."

"Damn it...what do they want?"

"Probably nothing of consequence." I huffed out a sigh, and reluctantly let go of him, forcing him to do the same. The last thing I needed was for Goku to come barging in on this scene.

"Bulma? Vegeta?" Goku was already outside of the office, his hair looking like an obnoxious waiting room plant through the frosted glass. I rolled my eyes and looked at Vegeta, who, once again, appeared greatly amused.

"Come in," I grumbled. The door swung open, and Goku waltzed in, Gohan right behind him.

"There you guys are," Goku said, annoyingly chipper.

"Yeah, so, what do you want!" I snapped. Goku blinked at me, confused.

"I heard about that creature who attack you two last night. What was it, do you think?"

"It was hardly an attack, Kakarotto. It slithered down the hall, and I killed it. They're a very archaic breed of alien used for assassination purposes. They strike the victim in their sleep, by means of drugging them into a stupor, and then killing them through asphyxiation. They have no power level, no means of defending themselves, and hardly any sensory abilities. They know only their assignments." He paused for effect, and crossed his arms. "Anything else?"

"No, I guess not," Goku said, scratching the back of his head confusedly. "Gohan and I were hoping to spar with you, though!" I rolled my eyes, and headed for the door. Even if they didn't spar, Goku would hang around and be a nuisance anyway. Besides, I was almost glad for an excuse to flee and clear my head.

"You two sicken me," I spat, revving up the dramatics. "Sparring, at a time like this! I'll be in my room." I opened the door and paused, glancing at Vegeta. He smirked slowly, his eyes piercingly on mine, and I felt my heart quicken.

/We still have more to settle, you realize./ 

/Shut up./ I paused, looking at him haughtily. Then I realized that Goku was watching us, quite wide eyed, and I made a show of storming out.

Goku's still here. ChiChi is expected to show up at any time, hurrah. I'm in no way ready to tell her about this...I don't know if I ever will be. I do know that Vegeta won't tell Goku, though. Don't ask me how...I just know.

Don't judge me, diary! I'm still feeling dazed and shocked by all of this myself. I've tried to explain this situation to you in most graphic detail so you'll understand. So I'll understand.

I don't know what this is, what this means. Maybe it's just a purely physical attraction, you say? I don't think so. Regardless of popular belief, I don't involve myself in strictly physical relationships. I never have before, and I won't start now. But...I've never felt like this. It's kind of frightening.

Ugh, I hate this! I want Goku to leave, I want ChiChi to stay home, and I want to find Vegeta and make sure that earlier wasn't just a fluke. Even though simply thinking of kissing him again makes me feel light headed and dizzy.

I need to take a cold shower or something. Yeah. I'm going to go do that now, and definitely only focus on wholesome things. Yes. Will do. Ha! 


	13. July 23 and 24

July 23, Monday

12:38 p.m: So ChiChi showed up shortly after four, and went into one of her usual tirades.

"I heard that you and Vegeta can speak to each other telepathically now!" She paused significantly, and eyed me with a mothers look of scrutiny, apparently forgetting (once again) that I'm older than her. "Well, what do you have to say about that!"

"What's there to say?" I snapped. "Do you think I'm happy about it? Do you think I planned it? Because I didn't." She looked almost relieved by my anger, and sat down delicately on my unmade bed.

"Goku makes it sound like you two have some kind of bond," she said, with great disgust. "I told him that such an idea was beyond ridiculous, but he just smiled, as if there was something he knew that I didn't." She gave me that LOOK again, that made me fear the possibility of her being able to read minds. I shifted uncomfortably, and looked away.

"So what? He doesn't know anything, so just relax."

"Bulma!" she cried, outraged, causing me to jump.

"WHAT!"

"What is going on? You're acting very strange." She got up and looked at me skeptically, as though whatever I was hiding would be revealed to her physically.

"Well, you would be, too, if killer aliens were after you for reasons that you didn't even understand!" I raged. "And let's not forget that it's YOUR husband who's keeping this information secret!" Her mouth tightened guiltily, and I had to ward off a smug look.

"He refuses to tell me anything, either, you know," she spat, resentfully. "And believe me, I've tried to force it out of him. There have been a few times he's come close to revealing something, but every single time, that horrible Piccolo has come barreling in as though he had been listening! That monster even has my Gohan brainwashed into trusting his selfish decision to keep what he knows secret!" I rolled my eyes, not at all in the mood to hear yet another 'I hate Piccolo' tirade, but I knew it was better than having her attention focused on me.

So, for the majority of her six hour visit, she ranted endlessly about the treachery of Piccolo, the insufferable ditziness of Goku, and the perpetual troubles she suffered financially. I did a fantastic job of acting perfectly normal, even though my mind was elsewhere, and I secretly wanted to lodge a dirty sock in her mouth.

When she did leave, it was only because it was Gohan's "bed time" (you have GOT to be kidding me), and she didn't want him sparring all night long with the others. I felt too restless to sit in my room, so I went to my office, back to finish organizing my files. But instead of getting anything accomplished, I merely wound up pacing back and forth, thoughts roaring through my head incessantly.

The more I thought about what had happened between Vegeta and I, the more I wanted to see him. I imagined him sparring with Goku, snickering to himself about how he was going to make me wait.

I wandered back to my room at three in the morning, and lay in bed for at least an hour longer. He didn't come inside. Angry at him and angry at myself for being angry at him and angry at myself, I fell into a restless sleep where I dreamt of being kidnapped by a bizarre vampire alien who looked more like the count from Sesame Street than anything else. He had me trapped in a giant bird cage, and I woke up as he tried to force feed me rotten fruit that I was supposed to try and eat faster than the prisoner before me. I was on "Fear Factor: Prison Edition".

What? I don't smoke crack. Honestly!

9:09 p.m: I'll admit...I was scared to leave my room. I didn't know what to expect. But when I finally emerged after that last entry, and discovered that my mother and I were the only ones in the house, I was angry and disappointed.

I went back to my office, and sat restlessly in the chair. I twirled around a few times. I got up and idly flipped through a few files. I actually began to organize them alphabetically by title, but had to stop, unable to concentrate. All I could think was, Damn you, Vegeta. Damn you for not making the first move. It was HIS TURN, but apparently being born an evil space alien diminishes one's understanding of the courtship process. Ugh.

Deciding that I was not going to be the loser ass movie chick who sits around all day waiting for the proverbial phone to ring, I left my office, intending to find something else to do. Call ChiChi, try origami, attempt to cook, anything!

I had only gotten out the door and started around the corner when someone grabbed my arm, and swung me around behind the building. I tried to scream, but their hand was over my mouth. I recognized the hand and jerked away, wanting to feel angry, but instead, I felt annoyingly happy. Still, I glared at him as nastily as I could, and Vegeta looked back at me, smirk firmly in place, but his eyes were cast over with a look that can only be described as smoldering (I know it's hard to believe, but it's true). I had an immediate urge to just throw myself at him like a hormonal teenager, but I restrained myself.

"You pig, what are you doing, scaring me like th--" Suddenly, in a movement so fast I could hardly detect it, I was in his arms and his lips were vehemently against mine. Instead of taking a moment to be properly shocked or appalled, I kissed him back with a carnality that amazed that tiny part of my brain that was still thinking coherent thought. I kicked all inhibitions aside, moved my arms around him, and let myself sink against him freely.

I had wanted to kiss him again, to make sure that the first time wasn't just a freak occurrence. And, unsurprisingly, it proved that it hadn't been. I didn't care that we were right behind my office, concealed only by a few trees, that anyone could stumble upon us at any time. In fact, that made it all the more exciting.

I moved my hands down his arms slowly, up his chest and over his shoulders, not prepared for just how unyieldingly powerful he felt. Like the last time, I felt almost weightless and dizzy, and totally consumed by feral lust.

We pulled back, and I held onto his arms, as though I might have keeled over otherwise. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, savoring the strange, exhilarating light headedness that throbbed behind my eyes.

"Where the hell have you been?" I demanded breathlessly, looking at him as reproachfully as I could muster. The sneaky smirk returned, and his eyes remained firmly on mine.

"Nowhere." 

"When did Goku leave?"

"Around four in the morning. Piccolo arrived with some new information, which demanded to be discussed." I glared at him, my anger genuinely returning. Predictably, he just looked amused.

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"It wasn't anything very interesting. More of those assassin's have been spotted."

"Those stupid blobby things?" He looked even more amused by my lack of articulation, and I scowled.

"Yes...exactly those."

"Why? The alarm will just go off again. They're wasting their time."

"They may be after more than one target now," he said mysteriously, but not at all seriously. I frowned at him and then gasped.

"Goku?" He snickered.

"Don't worry yourself. Your father has left to install the same security device in his home."

"What about Piccolo?" I asked, out of obligation.

"What about him? He doesn't sleep." I frowned, remembering hearing that before. I realized that I was still holding onto him, and that he was doing the same, and stepped back prissily, looking away.

"Then what the hell was the point of your late night meeting? It seems like you would have better things to discuss for so many hours."

"We practiced some new techniques." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, of course. I should have known." I sighed dramatically. "You all sicken me." I stiffened when I felt his hand lightly graze my hair, and knew he was right behind me.

/You've always been a bad liar./ Before anything else could be said or done, I heard a familiar pair of angry footsteps. I turned just as ChiChi approached our crappily hidden hideout. She narrowed her eyes and slapped her hands to her hips.

"There you are, Bulma!" She gave Vegeta the most obscenely hateful look she could muster, and looked back at me. "Didn't your mother tell you I was coming?" She walked off, and I rolled my eyes, wondering why my life was subjected to constant and convenient interruptions.

"Damn it, she was here all day yesterday, what could she possibly want?" I hissed quietly.

"Probably to discuss the great drama of those pathetic 'assassin's," Vegeta replied lowly, his humoring eyes persistently on mine. I sighed and looked away.

"Lovely." As I started to walk away, he stepped in front of me, and before I could protest, kissed me again. It was short but searing, and I found myself kissing him back, against my better judgment. Truth be told, the moment our lips touch, any good sense or reason or even self control I have wither and die on the spot.

I looked at him resentfully, feeling teased and not nearly satiated. He smirked, his expression unbearably smug, and walked decidedly off. Anger flooded over me, and I had to restrain myself from yelling after him.

"BULMA!" ChiChi raged from near the house.

"COMING!" I roared back, and, after stomping my feet and debating whether of not to mentally reward him with a barrage of curse words, I stormed back towards the house. ChiChi looked at me strangely, almost concerned.

"What's the matter?" she demanded.

"Nothing!" I snapped. "Let's just go inside!"

So, as ChiChi expressed her worry over the 'assassin's', particularly of the safety of Gohan (who I uselessly reminded her was potentially more powerful than anyone else on earth), my mind lingered heatedly over thoughts of Vegeta, much to my annoyance.

Goku came over shortly after ChiChi, and ran off to play with Vegeta in the gravity room. They're still in there, as far as I know.

I hate this. I hate being confined to this house! Because I am, you know. It's obviously too risky for me to drive, or go anywhere where some glorified monkey won't be right there to protect me. Why can't this insufferable killer alien/creature/whatever just show himself, so he can be properly defeated, and so I can be free to act as unavailable as I deserve? It's not right, keeping me cooped up like this. I could go crazy, you know!

I'm afraid of what I'm feeling, too. Obviously. Every time I see Vegeta now, I'm going to want to kiss him. I just know it. It's going to quickly escalate, too. I'm a grown woman, and I have my needs, okay? Don't look at me like that! It scares me, how fast this could potentially progress. But it's like I want it to. It's like I don't care. It's barely been a day since this really truly started, and this unnatural lust I feel is unimaginable.

But where is it going? That persistently girly part of me demands to know. Maybe it will be short lived? Most attractions that are THIS intense in the beginning fizzle out just as quickly. But for some reason, I don't think that will happen this time. For some reason, I feel like I've met my match in Vegeta, in more ways than one. And that scares me as much as it grudgingly excites me.

I can tell now that we'll never be a 'normal' couple, whatever the hell that even is. We'll never go on conventional dates, or run around proclaiming ourselves as 'together.' I definitely do not foresee a wedding, or babies, or burial plots side by side. And in a way, I kind of like the idea. Such tired, ordinary things seem like such a chore. Why can't things just happen without labels and convention?

Haha, if ChiChi knew I thought like this, she'd shit bricks. Sorry for that image, but seriously, she would. She thrust herself totally into the role of a housewife, and never deviates, not for a second. Not even when Goku died and Gohan was off being trained by Piccolo did she give up that role. I kind of admire her for that, but am also annoyed with how self righteous she often gets about it. I mean, no one's forcing her to be an unbearable mother hen all the time.

I, meanwhile, like the idea of living a 'quirky' life. Of doing things my own way. But I do wonder...what is Vegeta thinking? What is he planning? Is this just a temporary distraction from his REAL agenda? The idea makes me more angry and panicked than I'd like to admit. I do believe that he has genuine feelings for me, but I also wonder if he even understands them? It bothers me when I think of just how little I know Vegeta. He's not the type who'd divulge in fluffy pillow talk, that's for sure. So how will I ever learn about his history? About who he really is? About what he's thinking, what he wants from life?

Hahaha! I'm starting to sound like one of those self help guru's. But it really is totally infuriating. What can I do? I hate waiting. I hate just 'letting things be.' I'm not the type who can just keep calm and quiet while nature takes it course. What crap! I like to have some say in what happens to me in my life. So, I'll figure something out.

In the mean time, I'm going to my office to find something to work on, because I obviously need some sort of distraction.

1:36 a.m: I found a file that I had started several years ago, on how to detect creatures with no power levels. Ha! Why didn't I think of digging it up before? I'm going to try and design an experiment within the next couple of days. Even if nothing pans out, it will at least keep me busy. But for now, I'll try to sleep. I am weirdly tired...

July 24, Tuesday

10:03 a.m: Last night, something truly bizarre happened.

I was woken up from my sleep by a sudden yell in my head. I didn't discern any words, but I knew it was definitely a human voice. I wasn't sure if I had dreamed it, and for a few disoriented seconds, I tried to figure it out. Suddenly, I got the strangest feeling, this sick, panicked feeling, and my mind immediately went to Vegeta.

I got up, and walked quietly to his room. I hesitated at the door, realizing that I had never been in there before, but I didn't care. I had to know what (if anything) was going on. So, I quietly opened the door, and was floored by what I saw.

Clinging to Vegeta's face was a creature identical to the one from a few nights ago, the harmless, pathetic assassin. It had four long, snakelike limbs stretched out over Vegeta's face, seeming to reach all the way to the back of his head. For a moment, all I could do was stare in horror. Vegeta wasn't moving; his arms lay limply at his sides. Somehow, the creature had snuck in unnoticed, even by the alarm.

Feeling fueled by a tremendous panic, I rushed forward, and grabbed hold of the creature. It wouldn't budge. In fact, it didn't even seem to realize I was there. Getting angry and feeling even more afraid, I looked around for something to use as a weapon. I grabbed a pen sitting on the nightstand, pulled off the cap, and plunged it into the creature as hard as I could. To my relief (and amazement), the thing retracted it's tentacles, and leapt back.

"Now I got your attention, you little bastard!" I said, and went to stab at it again. It scooted back, flung itself off the bed, and headed for the door. I ran to close it, and kicked the formless lump across the room, where it hit the wall and landed dormant on the floor.

Shaking violently, I rushed back to Vegeta's bed, and grabbed his shoulders. Other than seeming drained of color, he appeared unharmed. I couldn't even see any injection marks.

"Vegeta! Wake up!" I shouted, shaking him. My heart quickened unpleasantly when I noted how cold he was, and how limp his body seemed. I looked around, as though expecting someone else to magically appear with help.

"Get up!" I yelled at him. I realized that I hadn't even checked his vital statistics yet. One scrutinizing glance suggested that he wasn't breathing, and it was true; he wasn't. I grabbed his wrist and felt for a pulse. To my enormous relief, I could still feel it, faintly.

I ran into my room and grabbed the phone, carrying it back into Vegeta's room. Sitting on his bed and staring at him, I called Goku's house.

"Hello?" ChiChi answered, half asleep.

"ChiChi! Get me Goku on the phone, now!" I yelled.

"What...? What's going on?" she asked, sounding sleepily alarmed.

"Just do it!" I fairly screamed. Muttering angrily, she seemed to sit the receiver down. Please be there, my mind silently begged. Please let Goku be there, and not off miles away, unable to be found in time. Miraculously, I heard his voice moments later.

"Bulma?"

"Goku! Find a senzu bean, and get over here!"

"It's Vegeta, isn't it? I just felt someone's ki decrease."

"Yes, something's happened! Now hurry up!"

"I'll be right there," he said seriously. I hung up the phone and covered my eyes, feeling totally helpless. I knew that counting on Goku was the only hope.

Not a minute later, Goku appeared in the room. I had never felt so grateful for that irritating instantaneous move.

"Do you have a senzu bean?" I asked, shrilly. He nodded, revealing it in his hand. I watched anxiously as he put it in Vegeta's mouth, and then rubbed his throat.

"It will force it down," he explained, even though I had seen the same maneuver used to feed pills to animals. Goku stood up and waited, and I stayed on the bed, utterly tense. Suddenly, Vegeta's eyes flew open and he sat up, looking around wildly.

"Where did it go?" he asked. I felt myself smile, and, before I could control myself, I dove in and hugged him.

"You scared the crap out of me!" I cried, then pulled back quickly, noting Goku's happily smiling expression.

"So you heard my message," Vegeta said, and I looked at him wide eyed, surprised that he was smirking. At a time like this!

"Some voice in my head woke me up, yes. What the hell happened!"

"How did it sneak up on you in the first place?" Goku added. Vegeta rubbed the back of his neck, cringing.

"It remained totally incorporeal, thus avoiding the attention of the alarm. When it latched onto me, it became physical, but because it had chemically and substantially bonded itself to me, the alarm didn't notice it as foreign." He paused haughtily. "Or so I suspect."

"So...you woke up, and it was on you?" I asked. He nodded.

"And it works very fast. It paralyzed me immediately, which I had never heard of before. It must be a new development." He cast an evil glare at the still creature.

"How did you get it off of him?" Goku asked me, looking amazed.

"I stabbed it with a pen, and then kicked it," I explained shortly, glaring at it as well.

"They are useless at defending themselves, which is why they are forced to act as they do," Vegeta said, looking at me with his typical sly, amused expression.

"It almost killed you," Goku said, frowning in worry. Then his face took on a panicked expression. "Another one could be at my house right now!" With that, he put his fingers to his forehead, and disappeared as quickly as he came. I sighed, looked at the creature again, and then back to Vegeta.

"It seems we're even now," he said, simply, that malevolently playful glint in his eyes. I frowned at him, wondering how he could possibly take this situation so lightly.

"Who cares! What if I hadn't gotten here in time? What if--what if you weren't able to send me that message? You weren't breathing, you almost died, when I got in here you weren't even moving!" I turned away, feeling tears burning my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was start crying, but it seemed inevitable. "You could have died," I whispered angrily, and started to get up, not wanting him to see me.

But his hand found mine first, and pulled me back. I looked at him, and was surprised to see how serious his face suddenly was. His eyes held me still with a look unprotected with his usual shell of amusement, a look so sincere and almost tender, my whole body felt weak. He pulled me close, and I fell against him then, rested my head on my shoulder and held him, not caring that I was crying, not caring if anyone walked right in at that moment and saw. It just felt so utterly right.

He moved his hand into my hair and I closed my eyes, feeling strangely and wholly calmed. Suddenly, the alarm went off, and I whirled around to see the creature shuffling towards the door. Vegeta lifted his hand, but I stopped him.

"Don't kill it! I want to experiment on it," I said quickly. I looked around, and picked up a book from the nightstand. 'Pride and Prejudice.' I gave Vegeta a strange look, earned a smirk in return, and hurled the book at the creature, ceasing it's movement once again. Hurried footsteps neared the room, and the door flew opening, revealing my disheveled mother.

"What on earth--!" she cried, only she wasn't looking at the alien blob...she was looking at Vegeta and I, still partially holding each other, on his bed.

"I got scared!" I snapped, and she smiled in sudden understanding.

"Well, I'm just glad to see that everyone is all right!" she sang. My father came up next, and we all gathered around the creature, deciding what to do.

"I'll place it in incubation. Though I'd really like to get a closer look at it now..." my father trailed off.

"Don't be silly, it's four in the morning!" my mother argued. One thing she hates is how both my dad and I like to stay up all night, 'fooling around with nonsense.'

After containing the thing, my dad carried it excitedly off. My mother waited a moment longer, smiling at us annoyingly.

"Well, don't mind me! I'm a heavy sleeper!" She waltzed out, and I glared after her, my face flushing. Right when it seemed like there would be a moment of peace, Goku spontaneously appeared, with ChiChi and Gohan in tow.

"There was one in the house, but it was still in the kitchen when I got there," Goku explained, hardly missing a beat. "I just figure that we should stay together until we know more about these things." I frowned at ChiChi, who was staring at me with great alarm. I hated how everyone jumped to conclusions, just because I was innocently sitting with Vegeta on his bed in the middle of the night. Yeesh!

"Yes, we're going to study it tomorrow," I said airily, and got up.

"Good thing Bulma found it in the first place," Goku said, cheerfully. "Things could have turned out really bad if it weren't for her."

"Yeah, well, everything's fine!" I snapped, embarrassed that I was receiving all the credit. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going back to bed now." I looked at Vegeta, who smiled at me, secretly. I smirked back but then quickly scowled, and headed snootily out the door.

Daddy did wind up staying awake to study it (surprise surprise), and I'm going down there soon to take over. I'll make sure that what happened last night doesn't happen again.

What happened, and what almost happened. It makes me feel cold and sick all over just to entertain the thought of what COULD have happened. I can't even explain in full just how horrified I was when I saw him laying there, so lifeless and pale.

All of this is just so ironic. Months ago, I wouldn't have cared if Vegeta died. In fact, I would have been relieved and even happy. Now, the thought of him dying is unbearable. If I needed any strong confirmation of my feelings for him, I certainly got it last night.

My head is a mess. I didn't get any sleep after what happened, and wound up talking with ChiChi instead. Strangely enough, she didn't have much to say about Vegeta, except that she was glad that he was okay. ! Not that she sounded very sincere, but it was a shock, anyway.

I'm off to do some experiments now. Hopefully a day can pass without something insane happening...though I feel that just saying that jinxes the possibility. I guess we'll see! 


	14. July 25 and 26

A/N: To everyone who cares (if you're still around), I'm REEEEAAAALLLY sorry that it's been so long since my last update. Absolutely disgraceful, I know. However, I do have a bit of an excuse! I tore my ACL (knee ligament), and had to have surgery. I'm a lazy person by nature, and don't multi-task unless I have no other choice. In short, my efforts these past several months have been focused on all things knee related. But now that I'm getting better, I'm back to working on projects and the like. This story shall be finished, that I guarantee! 

Oh yeah, LEMONY WARNING! Actually, it's more like a grape. Even though I dreamed up an all out NC-17 rated scene in my perverted head, I chose to downplay it big time. Why include it at all, then, you ask? You'll see. It's important, and I think most people can figure out WHY. The final chapters are going to be especially fun to write as a result.

July 25, Wednesday

3:04 a.m: I experimented on that weird creature all day, until I finally zonked out somewhere around eight at night. And now I'm wide awake. Great. My sleeping schedule is going to be royally messed up for awhile.

Well, daddy and I discovered a way for the alarm to detect the creature! Even in incorporeal form, it is swarming with all sorts of chemical charges. It's actually a very fascinating being, but somewhat difficult to work with, since it can't be sedated for very long. But it's helped me make revisions to my latest invention, which will be able to detect things that are either hiding their power level, or don't have one.  
I know, I'm a geek for getting excited about this stuff. But it's very relevant right now!

It's very, very quiet in the house. I hate that about the night owl hours. I think I'll go downstairs, or something. Maybe down the hall, so that I can casually pass Vegeta's room. What! I don't think it's unreasonable of me to be worried, regardless of the alterations made to the alarm. Yeah. So, I'll be right back...!

3:26 a.m: Would you believe it? Vegeta was actually asleep! I knew logically (and somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind) that of course he slept, that he had in fact been sleeping when that thing attacked him, but I've never actually witnessed it. Very shocking. Predictably, he wasn't under the covers, but on top of them, in the clothes he was wearing today.

I guess I've seen too many movies, because I half expected him to seem vulnerable and innocent, but alas...even in sleep, he looks ready to tear the head off of a bunny. Ha! It's just his look; those dark, villainous furrows in his head, the perpetually malicious slant of his eyebrows. He could spend the remainder of his life as a missionary, cradling poor, starving babies, and he'd STILL have the striking look of Pure Evil.

Am I complaining? No. In fact, looking at him, I found myself repressing the almost irresistible urge to laugh. I suddenly wondered what he had looked like as a baby, and if he had opened his baby eyes, no doubt shining malevolently with no good, and had taken a hateful swipe at the unlucky person that received him.

In fact, what is the deal with Saiyajin families? I've heard scant details about both Goku and Vegeta's fathers, but what about their mothers? I know there were women at some point, for crying out loud. Alas, I somehow doubt that Vegeta will ever have a heart to heart conversation with me (or anyone) about his absent mommy.

I guess I'll go to bed now. I probably won't wake up until noon, and will be deemed 'lazy' by ChiChi, even though I highly doubt SHE stayed up all night trying to keep everyone safe from evil aliens!

1:30 p.m: Today, I am in the WORST mood. ChiChi woke me up at ten. I had almost forgotten that her and Goku had invaded the guest room, as Goku had devised the brilliant plan of 'sticking together.' Piccolo has officially taken temporary residence in the garden, both to stay close to Gohan, and to keep an eye on Goku's absent mindedness, I presume.

Meanwhile, I'm seriously about to lose whatever shred of sanity I still possess. I wish these damn aliens would just make their big move, get properly disintegrated by whoever, and allow me to return to my life of withdrawn laziness, where I'm one of the masses, not one of the primary targets.

Oh yeah, about that...we're having a 'meeting' at two, to discuss the next course of action for my 'training.' I would laugh hysterically right now, but I'm far too busy seething internally.

3:16 p.m: Ugh. I had no idea that EVERYONE was going to attend this 'meeting,' and that it wouldn't even be about me at all! So imagine my shock when I sauntered into the yard, and discovered what looked like the family reunion from hell. There were the people I expected (Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Krillen, Gohan), along with ChiChi, her father, my parents, Yaumcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Master Yoshi, and even Oolong.

I was a little more shocked than I had anticipated upon seeing Yaumcha. After all, I haven't seen him for almost a year, and we didn't exactly end on good terms. (Understatement!) Being the oblivious Neanderthal that he is, he approached me before I could even properly rearrange my facial expression into a look of cool detachment.

"Bulma! How've you been!" I felt my anger peak, but narrowly avoided an explosion when I caught many expectant looks thrown my way from various slack jawed yokels, who no doubt itched for a temper tantrum to snigger at. I stood up straighter, threw my hair back haughtily, and shrugged.

"Well, I'm not dead yet, so I suppose I'm doing fine." He smiled sheepishly, and I awaited an explanation as to where he had been this entire time, when he said something that truly shocked me.

"The last time I saw you, you were in that coma..."

"You visited me?"

"Of course!" He looked at me incredulously. "Didn't Goku tell you?"

"No," I snapped, throwing a suspicious glance Goku's way. However, I only managed getting the attention of Vegeta, who eyed me deviously. Luckily for everyone, Yaumcha wasn't paying attention.

"That's strange...he said he'd tell you. But then again, Goku's pretty forgetful. So," he continued in a more shmoozy voice, "have you missed me?" I stared at him dubiously, feeling the first tremors of rage bubble up from my insides, when he threw up his hands defensively and stepped back. "Just kidding, only kidding!" he cried, with a nervous chortle.

"Listen, buddy," I hissed, closing in on him with a threatening poke to the chest, "I'm not in any mood for your crap. I have been targeted by alien creatures for reasons that are being withheld from me, so I'm stressed out enough as it is without you appearing out of nowhere and behaving like a horses ass!" I cannot tell you how tempting it was to add, 'Besides, I'm seeing someone else' but for obvious reasons, I restrained myself.

In a typical Yaumcha manner, he simply smiled indulgently and wistfully explained, "I would have come back sooner, but I've been training in the mountains with Tien and Chiaotzu. We're all ready to fight these things, whatever they are." I rolled my eyes, and bit my tongue against various acidic remarks, such as, 'With your track record, you'll be incinerated within the first sixteen seconds.' Instead, I settled for a sarcastic smile.  
"Good for you. Now if you don't mind, I just want to get this over with!" I turned on my heel and took a seat next to ChiChi, who looked angry and confused.

"Bulma," she whispered, scoldingly, "why don't you give him another chance?" I glared at her viciously, but her stubborn look did not relent.  
"My love life is none of your business, and, at this moment, is the least of my concerns. So I'll ask you once not to bring it up again!" She looked thoroughly ruffled at that, but remained silent, as though she was deliberating heavily to herself. Luckily, Goku wandered forward at that moment, finally getting the 'meeting' started.

He explained the situation as thoroughly as he could manage, and then Piccolo stepped forward to explain it better. Then there was a long, drawn out question and answer session, where idiotic questions were asked all around (Sample from Oolong: "If this thing's only targeting Bulma and Vegeta, why should I care? HAhahAhA".)

I would have stomped back inside immediately, but Vegeta's voice invaded my head and startled the crap out of me. /Why do Kakarotto's weaker friends constantly delude themselves as being any more useful than live targets/ I resisted the urge to shoot him a dirty look, or to appear otherwise flustered, lest I catch ChiChi's scrutiny.

/What are you talking about/

/Those three creatures who often fail to survive while waiting for Kakarotto to save them./ I felt something between anger and guilty amusement, but kept my expression perfectly blank. /What do they mean to accomplish? By trying to 'help', they will only get in the way/ he continued, in sarcastic tones. I sensed that this had something to do with my talking to Yaumcha, and repressed the urge to smirk.

/Is this some offhand way of satisfying your obligation to being the typically possessive male/

/If you're referring to that pathetic display from earlier, I would sooner behave 'typically' over your acknowledgement of a house plant./ I folded my lips over a near snicker, and scratched my chin so that I would have an excuse to look his way. He stood with his back to me, off subtly in the shadows of the trees, away from the others. I could sense the tension from Tien, Chiaotzu and Yaumcha especially, as they angrily avoided even looking at him.

/Fair enough. But him and the other 'weaklings' are certainly behaving in a typical manner towards you./

/They know as well as I do that their presence here is useless./ He was evading the obvious, intentional or not, and like an elephant trumpeting in the middle of a crowded room, I could not ignore it.

/Or maybe they're still annoyed about the whole conspiring to kill them thing./

/I never conspired./ Pause. /I never got the chance. Not that it would have taken much./ His tone dripped with amusement, but I felt a sudden, unwelcome chill pass over me.

/That's not funny/

/Perhaps not...but it's the truth. That said, may I remind you that we've long since established my retirement from evil doing./ I rolled my eyes, but could not keep from smiling. This was a careless move, for ChiChi noticed, and her laser vision was burning into me in an instant.

"What could possibly be funny?" she hissed. I looked at her in alarm, and shrugged confusedly, as though I had no idea what she was talking about. She sighed impatiently, and continued to listen with captive and completely unnecessary attention to Piccolo droning on.

/I know that, but they don't./

/Let them think what they want. Their opinions are completely worthless as it is./

/Aren't everyone's/

/As a general rule, yes./ ChiChi elbowed me suddenly, and I looked at her crossly.

"What!"

"The meeting's over! What on earth is wrong with you? Were you daydreaming the entire time?" My head throbbed slightly, and I couldn't even discern if it was from the telepathy, or from her screeching voice.

"Who cares! It wasn't even worth waking up for!" I stalked away from her quickly, eager to escape indoors before she, or any other unwanted pest, could bother me. I didn't dare talk to or even look at Vegeta, since it would have attracted all kinds of unwanted attention.

And that's it. I returned to my room, tried to take a nap, found it impossible to relax, and decided to vent. I'm feeling strangely restless and frustrated, ready to blow up at anything and everything. And NO, I am not like this every day! Today is much worse. I'm tense with some kind of weird, pent up energy. I wish that Goku would appear in my room and announce that someone (preferably Yaumcha) had volunteered to wear protective armor so that I could practice 'self defense' on him. But I have a feeling that my 'training' is on hold for now, since I've successfully learned telepathy. Blah.

3:35 p.m: I can't remember the last time I felt so restless! I've been wandering through the house like a zombie, idly pausing at doorways, and frowning down vacant hallways. It's yet another one of those depressing days, where everyone else on earth has something to do, except for me. Technically, I could easily go outside and take part in whatever idiotic visiting that is commencing between Master Yoshi, Oolong, ChiChi, her father, and my parents. I could also throw myself down a flight of stairs.

Predictably, everyone else is training. I'd die of shock if I ever spotted Goku and Vegeta doing anything else together. ...Ew. Yeah, my mind is definitely in the gutter today.

3:48 p.m: That's it. I'm going to my office. I'll find something to do!

July 26, Thursday

11:23 a.m: Um...how do I put this? Where do I even begin? All I can do is sit here, feeling both giddy and sheepish. Let me just put it this way: Almost a year of celibacy was spectacularly shattered yesterday.

Now before you go off and judge me (who am I even talking to other than myself?), let me assure you that it was not planned. Hmm. In retrospect, I'm not sure that that actually improves upon the case in point. Well, moving on!

I was in my office, rummaging through boxes, when the power suddenly went out. This was at about 10:00pm, and my office only has that one foggy window on the door, so it was like being instantly swallowed by all encompassing darkness. And I'll admit, I was a teensy bit alarmed, and may have screamed (both physically and telepathically, I'm afraid).

Right away, the door flew open, and my brain assaulted me with a lively assortment of worst case scenarios: The evil aliens, come to kill me. A zombie version of Lucifer, come to eat my brains. ChiChi, come to unload her many petty annoyances. Realizing that the situation was dire, I armed myself with a stapler (as it was the first thing I saw), and flattened myself against the wall, completely still. The assailant followed suite, and didn't make a move.

/Where are you/ I blinked in surprise and stormed to my feet.

"Right here, why the hell did you throw open the door like that!" My eyes had adjusted to the dark now, and I saw Vegeta cross his arms nonchalantly.

"I heard a noise in my head that was either an animal dying, or you screaming." I glowered at him, and looked around tensely.

"Well, the power went out, and it startled me! Were you just standing outside the door or something!"

"No...the power went out in the gravity room a few minutes ago. I'm afraid that Kakarotto may have gone to fix the problem, and only succeeded in worsening it."

"You let him toddle off to 'investigate' a problem involving electricity! He doesn't even know how to operate a microwave! In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he was unable to even locate a light switch!" As if he could hear me, the lights suddenly clicked back on, and I pursed my lips in grave annoyance as Vegeta looked wholly and smugly pleased.

"Shut up. We both know that he didn't do that!" He shrugged slightly, but said nothing. He didn't move, either, but just stood there, looking at me. I frowned at him, and threw up my hands in question. "What! Don't you have a gravity room to get back to?" He snickered, and kept his eyes on me as I angrily and pointlessly began to stack boxes.

"I've encountered enemies in war who were in a consistently better mood than you." I shot him my most ravenous glare, but couldn't help but feel jilted by the remark.

"What's your point! I have every right to be pissed off all the time"  
"Clearly."

"You have no idea how annoying these past few weeks have been! This day, especially...I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

"Quite obviously."

"I mean, I just feel like taking a baseball bat to the next person I see! And considering the fact that I can't stand 99 of the people I know, I don't think I'd feel the least bit guilty afterwards!"

"Of course not."

"Stop that! You think this is so funny, don't you! Don't you take anything seriously, or are you incapable of seriousness unless it's under the guise of evil!"

"Would you prefer me to behave more like Piccolo, then?" He appeared totally unmoved by my speech, and simply watched me with teasing, inquisitive eyes. I suddenly imagined that look replaced by Piccolo's stoic hardness, and realized his point.

"No..." My shoulders slumped in defeat, my bad mood momentarily confused into submission. I leant back against my desk, and glanced around at the mess I had made: boxes everywhere, files scattered, the usual. Always looking for a constancy, a 'project' to immerse myself in. Noting my appraisal, Vegeta idly picked up a stray folder, and without thinking, I leapt forward to snatch it back.

"That's private!" I shrieked, worried that he'd (again) find another one of my most embarrassing files.

"Then you should keep it hidden." I glared at him, my hand on one side of the folder, his on the other, not letting go.

"If I'd have known that you were coming, I would have!"

"One would think that, by now, you would always be prepared"

"Well, I'm not, I shouldn't have to be, this is MY office!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" I opened my mouth, and then closed it, caught off guard by the strange look he was giving me. That look that suggested there was infinitely more going on. I let my hand slip from the file, and he did the same, and without a moments hesitation, we all but fell into each other.

And...I guess you can say that it just progressed from there. 'I guess.' Ha! Yeah, right there, on my desk. How disgraceful, and so on. But, what do you want from me! You would have done the same thing. Without getting into gory details, let me just say that I have never been more relieved by my decision to make my office sound proof.

Afterwards (including all of the sudden panic of being discovered by ChiChi, Goku, or even Piccolo, no no NO, which lead to me spastically throwing on my clothes and being snickered at), I sat by him on the desk and said (for maybe the billionth time), "Wow." He simply smirked at me, but everything about his expression was different. I'd use the word 'softer', but it was so subtle, I can't really explain it. There was no tension between us; the silence wasn't uncomfortable, but full of mutual understanding. I had the strangely welcoming feeling that he had officially 'claimed' me, and I him. That what had just happened was special in more than just the typical ways.

As if to confirm that it wasn't just me being a stereotypically flowery woman, he said, "I suppose it's time we tell everyone, starting with Kakarotto's wife." I smiled at him sarcastically.

"No. I think I'd prefer to wait until she really ticks me off. Then I'll blurt it out, and enjoy the silence as she spends some time in a coma." He smiled slyly, and leant towards me, when (I am not kidding) the power went out, again. I hissed out a sigh and got up angrily.

"I swear, Goku better not be responsible for this, or else!" Vegeta looked at me so dubiously, I felt my anger dissolve, and laughed. "Shut up"  
Turns out that my father had been trying to fix a blown circuit (that started in the overstressed gravity room, of course, and had impacted the electricity all throughout the property), and was having some trouble. After that greatly intriguing mystery was solved, we went back inside, and to our separate rooms. Ha, ha.

To be honest, I knew that Vegeta and I would eventually 'consummate our affair'. I just didn't think it would be so soon, or under such 'improper' conditions. That freakish girly girl in me figured that it would be more traditional, with a discussion before hand, and a lot of time leading into it. Oh, and in a bed. I guess I should have known better!

I haven't talked to him yet today. Now that I've had time to think about it, I've got quite a few questions for him. Such as, where in the world did he get all of that experience? Or more appropriately, where in the universe? There aren't any female Saiyajins anymore, so...my imagination has supplied me with some unfavorable alien explanations. Ew.

Well anyway, I'd best leave my room now, and see what THIS day has in store. I just don't know what to expect anymore!


	15. July 27, 28, and 30

July 27, Friday

11:46 a.m: Well, yesterday was rather uneventful. The power continued to act all screwy, so I spent much of the day helping daddy fix it. Boooriiing! Vegeta and Goku kept appearing, with Goku anxious about the precious gravity room. Vegeta never said anything (not even telepathically), but he kept LOOKING at me in a way that continuously made me blush, and prompted me to give him numerous telepathic warnings, all of which he ignored. Typical. Goku was totally oblivious, of course.

Other than that...ugh. This is frustrating. I haven't talked to him since Wednesday night. Not that I expect some kind of deep, revealing conversation with hoity toity classical music playing in the background, but geez...

Oh, be right back, ChiChi is banging on my door!

2:32 p.m: Bad news. Piccolo called an 'emergency meeting' to inform us all that when he flew out to the desert earlier, he detected a high power level. It was just for an instant. Apparently, whatever it is has been concealing itself well, but Piccolo thinks it showed itself for a reason. He's pretty sure of it's location, and thinks it's waiting. He suspects that there may be more than one, and that they could potentially be very powerful, blah blah blah, and that it would be foolish to pursue them alone.

"I'll go," Goku gallantly said, without hesitation, inspiring a snicker from Vegeta.

"If anyone should go, it should be me. They are after Bulma and I, aren't they?" Vegeta asked, smoothly. Piccolo nodded, seeming relieved.

"Vegeta and I will investigate. If we run into trouble, we both have means of contacting you," Piccolo said to Goku, who looked both doubtful and deflated.

"I want to go," Gohan eagerly said.

"No," Piccolo and ChiChi snapped, simultaneously.

"It may be trap," Piccolo continued. "You and your father should stay here with Bulma and the others."

"Ah, I forgot about that bit," Goku admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Krillen suddenly peeped. He had remained relatively hidden beside a house plant up until this point, and everyone looked at him as though he had antlers growing out of his head. "We don't know what we're dealing with here. Shouldn't more than just Piccolo and Vegeta go?"

"I hope this isn't your way of volunteering, because you'd only get in the way," Vegeta sneered, with a malevolent look.

"I still don't trust you, Vegeta! What if you're on their side?" Krillen blurted out. I rolled my eyes and sighed, not in the mood for this particular discussion at all.

"If he was on their side, don't you think you'd be dead by now!" I hissed. "For crying out loud, can't you just get over it already!" Everyone, particularly Krillen, Gohan and ChiChi, now looked at ME as though I had suddenly grown tentacles, except for Vegeta, who didn't even try to conceal his sly amusement.

"Bulma's right," Goku started. "I think we need to put our differences aside for now and stick together."

"Well, I still have a bad feeling," Krillen grumbled, sulkily.

"Bulma, weren't you working on some device that can detect power levels even when they're suppressed?" Goku asked.

"Yes, but I don't know if it works, as it hasn't detected anything yet. But they can take it, if they want to try."

"If it works, it could be extremely useful," Piccolo said.

The meeting dispersed after that, and I ran off to my office to get the device, and am now staring at it's clumsy, ominous shape upon my side table. They will be leaving very soon. Goku just went to get more senzu beans, and as always, he's taking forever. Ugh. I just wish that this could be over and done with!

3:12 p.m: AHHH! Well, I used the delivering of the device as an excuse to see Vegeta, and found him alone in the gravity room. I must have looked hilariously upset, because he immediately huffed out an amused sigh, and crossed his arms.

"I sincerely hope that you aren't 'worried.'"

"No," I answered at once, though my voice was pathetically unconvincing. "It's just...what if this thing is the same thing that almost killed me?"

"Then it will be even more gratifying to destroy it," he answered, simply.

"But what if it can't be destroyed!"

"Nonsense." He walked up to me, and I absently handed him the device. We looked at each other for a moment, and in a totally unexpected gesture, he touched his finger tips lightly to my cheek, and smiled secretly.

"I wish all of this crap wasn't happening right now," I said, putting my arms around him. He returned the action, drawing me closer to him.

"It will be over soon enough. Perhaps even today."

"Yeah, well, I somehow doubt that. Just don't get killed, okay? Because I'll be really mad." I tried to make my tone joking, but I sounded more sulky and troubled than anything else.

"Wouldn't want that." I gave him a halfheartedly reproachful look, and thought for a moment.

"We should just tell them. When this whole mess is over. I don't feel like sneaking around forever, as we will be caught eventually, and then everyone will make a huge deal out of it. I'd rather have it over with under my terms."

"And how will you do it?" he asked, looking greatly entertained by the notion.

"I'll probably just tell ChiChi, and she'll tell everyone else," I casually replied, even though the idea filled me with horror.

"I see."

"Doesn't the idea bother you? Having everyone know?" I asked teasingly, even though I was genuinely curious.

"Not at all. Why would I concern myself with the opinions of those lowly people?" I rolled my eyes, and smirked.

"Right." He looked at me for a moment, that increasingly familiar spark of mysteriousness and tenderness in his eyes, and kissed me. As always, all I could do was sink against him and pour myself into the moment, when it was suddenly cut short. Vegeta was peering past me, quite maliciously, and I whirled around in horror.

There stood Gohan, looking about as terrified as I had ever seen him, and he backed up a few paces when I landed my infuriated eyes on him. "S-sorry!" he stammered, and then, without missing a beat, took off running.

"Hey! Get back here--!" I called, panicked.

"Don't worry, he won't tell anyone," Vegeta said, nonplussed. Before I could respond, Goku wandered in, looking confused.

"What's up with Gohan? He seems spooked about something."

"I have no idea," I replied, as casually as can be. Unfortunately, I'm a terrible actress, and my voice sounded about as high pitched and strange as some exotic birds mating call.

"Well, I have the senzu beans...where's Piccolo?"

"Probably out back still," Vegeta said. Goku hesitated, seeming to forget where 'out back' was (the back yard) and nodded, leaving to find him. Vegeta strode to the door, and turned. "We'll probably leave right away. I don't expect to be gone long."

"Just be careful," I said, seriously. He smiled slyly, but nodded. After a final look, he slipped out the door, and the gravity room nearly swallowed me with its silence.

After an angst ridden moment where girly thoughts and emotions threatened to overpower me, I puffed myself up with some easily accessible anger, and set out to find Gohan. Luckily, he was by himself behind the house, apparently having just seen Piccolo and Vegeta off.

"Hello, Gohan," I said with saccharine sweetness. "Now, I know that you must be very confused by what you saw. It's okay, you are still a little boy. But you're also very smart, and I know you must realize that it's not something you should be repeating to anyone. Ever. Especially your mother. Okay?" He stared at me as if I was completely insane, and blinked idly for a few moments.

"Um...Bulma, I'm not a baby, you know." My carefully constructed smile fell away to a scowl, and I stomped towards him angrily.

"Fine, then! Just don't tell anyone, or else!"

"I wasn't planning on telling. But Bulma...I thought you hated Vegeta?" I felt myself begin to blush, which only worked to intensify my growing rage.

"Yeah, well, things change! Just wait until you're grown up and start liking girls. Things will get much harder for you, mister, especially considering your parents!" Before he could question that, I stormed away, and retreated immediately to my room, where I've stayed. Ugh. This is going to be a loooong day...

8:26 p.m: Sadly, I've spent most of the day with ChiChi. She is very nervous, says that she has 'a bad feeling.' Her and Krillen might as well take up Vegeta Bashing as a career, for no matter how hard I tried to steer the conversation otherwise, all they could do was speculate ominously about his character. "Once a murderous beast, always a murderous beast!" ChiChi kept sighing.

Not even my strongest argument was good enough for her: "So him saving my life means nothing to you?" "Bulma, honestly, he was just doing that to earn everyone's trust!" Ugggh!

I finally couldn't stand it anymore, and went back to my room, where I slept. Had a weird dream that Vegeta and I were aboard the Titanic, and were running from someone who bore a striking resemblance to ChiChi. Yeah...I need to watch fewer movies, and read more books.

July 28, Saturday

7:23 a.m: Well, the power's been out all night, and after Goku felt a 'formidable presence' in the not so distant distance, he decided that it was best we all gather together in the living room, 'just in case'. I'm not crazy about the idea (obviously), but since it's necessary, I have no choice. Apparently, these frequent power outages have been caused by whatever these 'things' are. I'm worried. Really worried. It seems like Vegeta should be back by now. Ugh. Anyway, hopefully I'll be writing in you sooner rather than later, because I can't bring you downstairs with me. Can't risk ChiChi reading you!

July 30, Monday

3:23 a.m: Oh my God. Um...I don't know where to start. These have been the worst two days ever. There are things I just want to write down first, but I really want to go in order, to help myself make sense of things.

Saturday was boring, annoying, nerve wracking, etc., up until night time, when Goku (who had been acting weird and anxious, which is very uncharacteristic of him) announced that a huge power level had just gone out.

"Who--who do you think it belongs to?" I asked as calmly as possible, though my heart felt like it was encased by pinpricks. He looked at me with wide, grave eyes, never having been good at hiding anything.

"It felt like Vegeta." I tried to remain absolutely still and emotionless, though I could just feel the color drain from my face.

"But they have senzu beans, right?" Gohan asked, probably hoping to thwart my impending mental breakdown. Goku nodded, his eyebrows furrowed as he focused.

"Yes...it sometimes takes--" He smiled suddenly, clearly relieved. "It's back."

"He's not dead?" I asked quickly, jumping to my feet.

"No...but he's weaker. That's strange..."

"Piccolo just spoke to me," Gohan said, urgently. "He says that he's going to a different location, and wants you to meet him there instantaneously when he gives me the signal."

"Did he say why?" Goku asked, readying himself.

"No...he just said that he needs to be brought back here right away."

"What about Vegeta?" I asked, not caring anymore how suspicious I sounded.

"He--he didn't say." I sighed, and waited tensely. Not even ChiChi had anything to contribute; all she could do was claw the arm rests of the couch like a madwoman. Krillen sat on the floor beside Gohan, looking hardened and ready.

"Okay, he's ready," Gohan announced a few minutes later. Goku nodded, 'felt' for Piccolo, and disappeared. I wrung my hands together and waited. A moment later, Goku reappeared with Piccolo in tow, who looked like he had been thoroughly beat up.

"They're coming," he said at once. "Vegeta insisted upon warding them off so that we'd have time to hide her." My heart began to pound up into my throat, and I started to feel faint.

"What's going on?" I demanded, my voice shaking.

"Do you remember the saiyajin youth from the future?" Piccolo asked. Goku's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and was about to speak, but Piccolo held his hand up.

"Yes," I snapped, impatiently. "What does that--"

"You're pregnant. And that was him." I reeled for a moment, the words entering my brain, but not making sense.

"Wh--..." I stopped. I couldn't get any more words out.

"That saiyajin from the future is Bulma's son? And...and Vegeta is...?" Krillen confirmed, in a shocked and horrified voice.

"Yes," Piccolo said. "I'll explain more later, but now, we need to move." I nodded absently, seeing but not seeing, breathing but not really getting any air in. I went upstairs to get a sweater, and grabbed this diary in the process, stuffing it's capsulated form into my pocket. All the while, my mind was so overloaded, that it was actually blank. When thoughts did return, all that came was, 'I'm pregnant. Oh my God. I'm pregnant.'

When I wandered back downstairs, an apologetic looking Goku put his hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, Bulma. We didn't plan on telling you, but--"

"So that was it all along," I interrupted, the inner workings of my brain waking up. "They don't really want to kill me...they want to kill him."

"Yes. And now they know that you're already pregnant," Piccolo added.

"How!" I cried.

"It's something that can be sensed, if you have the ability," Goku explained. "I actually first sensed it this morning..."

"What!"

"Come on, Bulma," ChiChi said, sounding surprisingly calm and in control. "Let's go." I nodded faintly, actually grateful to have her take my arm and lead me out the door.

Goku teleported us to a remote location, where Tien and Chiaotzu were waiting. Goku and Gohan went to help Vegeta (much to ChiChi's horror, but as always, she couldn't prevent it), and Piccolo stayed behind with the rest of us, 'just in case' the evil creatures somehow found our new location (even though everyone with a power level was suppressing it). We all crowded into a small hut, as Piccolo updated everyone on what was going on.

"They are extremely powerful. There are only two of them, but they use techniques we've never seen before. Like those creatures they sent after Vegeta, they can turn incorporeal at will. When we were able to land an attack, it didn't phase them." He paused, looking greatly troubled. "The power level detector does work, and Vegeta has it. Much of their strategy depends upon sneak attacks, so it's a useful asset."

"What happened to Vegeta? Goku said that he felt his power level disappear for a moment," I said, my wits falling back into place bit by bit.

"They performed a very strange attack on him. It severely injured him, but he was able to revive himself with a senzu bean." I shuddered, and hugged myself tightly.

ChiChi came and sat next to me then, pushing a cup of tea into my hand. "Drink this, it will help relax your nerves." I did as she asked, having no energy to argue. After a few moments, I did feel more calm, and turned to her slowly. Her face looked hard but concerned, and her eyes were questioning.

"I'm really surprised that you're not going berserk," I said, drinking more of the tea.

"I'll admit, Bulma, I was appalled. AM appalled. But there are more important things at stake here. Besides, that young man was so polite, hardly like Vegeta at all." I scoffed, and rubbed my temples, still feeling a wave of shock at being reminded of the 'young man.'

"Well, don't forget that Vegeta was dead in his world." I shuddered again, feeling an enormous pang of worry and dread.

"That's not going to happen this time," she said, patting my hand. "Those things don't stand a chance against three saiyajins."

"Geez, ChiChi, are you loaded on opium or what!" I demanded, startled by her placid behavior. "You saw what those things did to Piccolo."

"My darling Gohan will be fine," she insisted, though her voice wavered now, bordering on near panic. I felt like pushing her further, riling her up so that I wouldn't be all psychotically upset on my own, but then Piccolo ruined my plans.

"Gohan is the one I'm least worried about." I felt like calling him a liar, but decided against it. Instead, a new thought entered my head, a thought shocking in it's obviousness.

"Does Vegeta know...? That I'm..."

"Yes. Unfortunately, it was the enemy that informed him."

"So he knows that the saiyajin from the future is our son?"

"Yes. I think they were hoping to distract him and damage his performance, but it only achieved the opposite effect." I nodded, and silently marveled at that fact. My heart ached suddenly. I wanted him with me then, more than ever.

I retired to a corner then, wanting to be alone with my thoughts. I kept thinking of the young man. It suddenly made so much sense. The lavender hair, the blue eyes, coupled with Vegeta's harsh features. And he was so powerful...already a super saiyajin. It's so strange. I still don't quite believe it.

My feelings keep violently fluctuating. On one hand, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride, of excitement. The fact that I'm actually going to give birth to such a beautiful son! But then again...I'm going to give birth. I'm going to be a mother. Am I ready for this? Oh, God...this is so scary. Where's Vegeta? We have to win. Now that I know what I have to lose, losing isn't an option. 


	16. July 31, August 1, Epilogue

a/n: This is it! The last chapter...I feel like violins should be playing in the background right now. This has been the hardest chapter to write, not surprisingly! Well, here we go...

July 31, Tuesday

1:21 a.m: I slept on and off all through Monday. I couldn't bring myself to sleep longer than a few minutes at a time, no matter how much ChiChi insisted that I do so, promising to wake me up at the first sign of change. I could call her a hypocrite, seeing as she hasn't slept much, either, but since I'm pregnant, she has an 'excuse' to coddle me.

Seeing as ChiChi is asleep now (and probably not for very long), I'm free to write in here. I bash her so much that I'd hate to have her peek over my shoulder and discover something to be mad at me for later. Ugh.

I'm trying to distract myself. I feel like I'm going to go insane. We haven't heard anything at all, but at least we know that none of the huge power levels have disappeared. This is not good enough for ChiChi, who's stoic calm didn't last long. About five minutes after I finished that last entry, she woke up with a start and went ballistic, demanding that Gohan leave the fight immediately. Though Piccolo was able to placate her (for awhile), I actually found myself emphasizing with her more than ever before.

This is such a horrible place to be secluded in. It's July, and we're stuck in this awful, arid mountain range. This 'house' is made of stone or clay or something, so it's cooler in here than it is outside. Still...

There hasn't been a lot of small talk. When ChiChi's not hassling Piccolo for 'updates' or pacing around in small circles like a lunatic, she busies herself with fussing over me. At first I thought, For crying out loud, I'm barely pregnant! but then it occurred to me that that's exactly it. It's so early...which is an especially risky time during pregnancy.

I still can't believe this. I don't look or feel any different. I keep putting my hands on my stomach, like they do in the movies, but there's nothing there that would suggest a baby was growing inside of me, much less a saiyajin baby. I guess I partially expect things to be different in that regard, just because the baby IS part saiyajin. That he would grow at an abnormally increased rate, or would already be training for battle. Give a whole other meaning to the once endearing phrase, "Aww, the baby is kicking!"

Yes, I'm trying to focus on the happiness of the situation, but it's hard. I've never been this scared in my life.

4:34 a.m: I slept for awhile, but then I heard something like an explosion. Apparently, the fighting was getting closer...and then was pushed back again. Piccolo is having trouble locating one of the larger power levels, but he won't say which one. He's outside right now, and ChiChi is being restrained so that he can concentrate. My hands are shaking so bad right now.

4:43 a.m: The sky just turned pitch black...

August 1, Wednesday

2:32 p.m: After that, things turned very bad.

Piccolo rushed inside and narrowly managed to grab ChiChi and I and fly us out, just as a barrage of white explosions crashed into the house. He had barely set us down when a weird, shadowy figure lunged at him. As they fought (and it was so dark, I could barely tell what was going on), Tien and Chiaotzu leapt in front of us, ready as always to contend with enemies that were likely beyond their abilities.

ChiChi and I backed up against the rocky terrain behind us, and held onto each other as though a tornado were on it's way. I quickly noticed that there were a few fights going on nearby, all in pairs. As energy blasts flew back and forth in the black sky, I was able to locate Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo; but not Vegeta. All I could do was shiver uncontrollably and pointlessly assure myself that he was fine, that everything was fine, and that I was going to be fine, as always.

Suddenly, Piccolo went down, crashing onto the ground only a few feet away from us. Before we had a chance to react, Chiaotzu picked up ChiChi, Tien collected me, and attempted to escape with us, when a blinding white light slammed into Tien (only narrowly missing my head), and sent me tumbling onto the ground. He hadn't been flying, so I was able to scramble to my feet quickly and start running.

I had barely gone a few feet when the shadowy figure stepped into view in front of me. I froze for a moment, and stared at it. It looked both male and female in appearance, with an eerily calm face, shining yellow eyes, and long, straight hair that could have been either black or violet. Suddenly, I knew that it was the person who had been standing in the road that night, and had caused my accident.

Panic consumed me, tearing me out of my momentary state of shock. All I could think to do was run, but the second I turned around, it pulled me towards it without even touching me. I screamed, and felt myself drop to the ground. Not ready or willing to give up, I tried to move, but it was holding me down somehow. I looked up at it, and it glared back at me with it's strange, glowing eyes. Without hesitation, it generated a disk of yellow energy, and I tried to scream, but no sound came out. It was about to release it, when, out of nowhere, someone leapt in front of me. I knew right away that it was Vegeta, and gaped as he blasted the creature into the nearby rocks. 

He turned then, picked me up, and flew away, without missing a beat. I clung to him gratefully, too jolted to speak, and not needing to, anyway. Even at that dangerous moment, there was a gentleness about the way he held me, an unspoken understanding. /It's almost dead/ his voice informed me. /It's generated two clones of itself, but since it's the original, the others will die when it does./

/How do you know/

/I've encountered something like it before./ He landed behind a large rock, and set me down. He turned to me seriously. "Are you hurt?"

"N-no, I'm fine. Are you?" I knew it was a pointless question to ask. Even though he looked like he had been hit repeatedly by a semi, he would never admit to feeling like it. He nodded shortly.

"Don't worry yourself." His posture stiffened, and he moved in front of the rock. /It's coming. Don't move, no matter what. I won't let it touch you./

/Okay./ He vaulted into the sky then, and I crumpled helplessly to my knees, straining in the darkness to see what was happening. I could make out two blurs, moving too fast to see. For several minutes, they flickered from one corner of the sky to another, when one of them released an abrupt blast of energy. All too suddenly, Vegeta slammed onto the ground several feet away from my hiding place, appearing wholly unconscious. I nearly started to run towards him, but then remembered the firmness of his only instruction: Don't move, no matter what. Though I couldn't contain my trembling, I otherwise stayed completely still.

The androgynous figure landed then, and briefly regarded Vegeta's fallen form. Then it walked slowly around the perimeter, looking for me. Just as I was wondering why it was unable to sense me, it noticed the rock. I held my breath and tensed further. It lurched in my direction with alarming speed, when suddenly Vegeta came from the side, blasting it through it's center with a beam of blue energy. It spiraled backwards, streaming black blood and strange fragments of yellow light, before clamoring lifelessly onto the ground.

Still afraid to move, I watched wide eyed as Vegeta staggered to the creatures limp form. He gripped one arm as though it were injured, and for a moment I feared that he was going to keel over himself. Instead, he held up his palm almost casually, and released a barrage of energy beams. For a moment, dust erupted into plumes around him, and I couldn't see anything. Then the explosions stopped, the air cleared, and Vegeta was left staring hatefully into what was now a deep crater in the ground.

Goku, Gohan, Piccolo and Krillen landed near him then. While the others were hesitant, Goku walked up beside Vegeta, and surveyed the crater. "Where is it?" he asked.

"Incinerated," Vegeta replied, simply. He looked in my direction then, and floated easily towards me. I stood up, and threw my arms around him, not caring about the slack jawed gawkers who were in such close proximity. I can't even describe how I felt. I was mostly just so horrifically rattled and scared nearly to death, and so shocked and relieved that we were alive, that all I wanted was to be close to him. Nothing else mattered, not even my pride.

He held me against him, and I could feel the shared sense of relief practically emanate from him. Goku wandered over, managing to look both wide eyed with concern and childlike curiosity. I cleaved to Vegeta as though I would collapse otherwise (my legs did feel rather unstable), and regarded Goku and the others wearily.

"Are you okay?" Goku asked. "ChiChi was out of control for a while there, saying that you had been taken away..."

"I'm fine...I didn't even get scratched." He seemed content with that, but then looked around, frowning.

"Wow. Are we all alive? This doesn't happen very often."

"I just want to know what the heck that thing was," Krillen said. "It wasn't normal." Piccolo seemed about to explain, when Tien and Chiaotzu landed with a distraught ChiChi in tow, who galloped towards Gohan in one of her embarrassingly standard displays of hysterical coddling. Then she turned to me, and paused, momentarily alarmed by the presence of a bruised and battered Vegeta.

"Bulma," she sighed in exasperation. "You scared me to death! You aren't hurt, are you?" Before I could answer, she looked around wildly, and bellowed to no one in particular, "Where is that awful creature!"

"It's been destroyed. It's really over now," Goku soothed. She narrowed her eyes, unconvinced.

"Well, I don't see it's body!" As ChiChi was shown the crater (or more like peered into it over Goku's shoulder), Vegeta flew me back to where Tien and Chiaotzu's now demolished house lay. As he sat me down, I absently took his hands, and looked at him thoughtfully. I didn't know what to say; I was still trembling, and disoriented. A part of me didn't want to say anything at all. He smiled slightly, with an edge of his usual slyness, but his eyes were cinched with worry, and there was a seriousness about his expression that persisted. After a few moments of silence, the weight of reality pressed urgently into the forefront, and I cracked.

"Piccolo told me that...the creature told you," I began, the words falling gracelessly out of my mouth before I could properly arrange them. He nodded slightly, understanding. "I nearly went into a second coma. How did you remain so composed?" I asked.

"I didn't. I simply reacted instinctively." He pulled me slightly closer, and kept his eyes on mine, sharp but searching.

"What did you think?" I asked, with a tinge of nervousness.

"I couldn't believe that we hadn't figured it out sooner. It seems incredibly obvious now." 

"Yes, I guess it does...it explains why Goku and Piccolo were so adamant upon keeping it a secret." I paused for a moment, and felt myself getting angry. "Those bastards, sitting around all smug, knowing all along what was going to happen...gross!"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. I don't think either one of them has the capacity to reflect upon it with too much depth."

"That's certainly true." I gazed at him pensively, and he started to smirk, no doubt seeing the anxiety plastered all over my face. "Aren't you scared?" I blurted out.

"No...there's no reason to be." I frowned at him for a moment, when he moved his hands slowly up my arms, and gave me a look that caused all of my doubts to fall away. I nodded faintly, and sank against him, both exhausted and solaced.

The others returned a few minutes later, obviously having been aware of our need for privacy. Vegeta briefly explained to us some of what had transpired, with the same offhand, stoic nature as always. No one could clarify exactly what the creature was, except that it was obviously not of this world. Piccolo theorized that it was a species that existed only in the future, and would likely remain isolated there. Since it was dead, I didn't much care, but something was bothering me.

"When I stayed still, it didn't same able to detect me," I commented, looking towards Vegeta. "How did you know?"

"I discovered it early on, when it had struck me down the first time. It didn't notice that I had been recuperated until I was flying towards it. It was only able to detect and control moving powers." By control, I knew he meant the strange force it was able to generate without touching me.

"Well! I'm just glad that this whole mess is over, and that we can get about our normal lives now," ChiChi sighed. I looked at her strangely.

"Don't forget that we still have the androids to deal with in a few years." She eyeballed me murderously, and I blinked innocently back. In reality, I felt horrified by the reminder I had just thrown on the table.

"We'll be ready for them," Goku vowed, dramatically curling his hands into fists. After that, Vegeta and Piccolo split the remaining senzu bean (even though they were both 'fine') and everyone left for their respective homes.

Once back at the house, in an unspoken agreement, Vegeta and I returned to my room (luckily I had recently cleaned it, eliminating the possibility of any snarkiness). Exhausted, I curled up against him, and fell asleep.

I still need to tell my mother, who will spare me the awkward task of telling my father (and her and ChiChi combined will tell the world). Keeping this secret seems rather pointless now. Uh oh, someone at the door!

4:29 p.m: It was Vegeta. He came in to 'check on me.' Ha! I wonder if I'll ever get over how odd this is? Oh, well.

"What do we do now?" I asked, as he leant against the wall and regarded me.

"Do now?" he repeated, with a questioning smirk.

"You know! Now that I'm knocked up, it doesn't seem right to continue living with my parents. Don't you agree?" He raised an eyebrow, and seemed on the verge of laughing.

"Are you suggesting we 'get married'?"

"Not necessarily," I replied, as calmly as possible, even though I felt anger bubble up dangerously. I had wanted to avoid that topic altogether, and here he was, unable to keep a straight face about it! "I was thinking more along the lines of moving out. Not away, but staying on this property, so that I could continue with my work, and you could continue with your precious gravity room." He snickered now, greatly amused by my surliness.

"Whatever you prefer," he replied, easily as can be. "I didn't suspect that we would continue living here."

"Good." I crossed my arms, thoroughly ruffled. "You know, I find it hard to believe that you're okay with all of this. I wish I had your calm, light hearted take!"

"I suppose I just don't see what's so terrifying."

"I don't know the first thing about kids!"

"Neither do I, but I don't think he will be arriving tomorrow." I glowered at him, but his face remained so solidly amused, I couldn't help but smirk myself.

"Why do you always have to be such a smart ass?" I demanded, throwing a pillow at him. He batted it carelessly away, his expression not changing.

"I wasn't aware that I was one."

"Oh, shut up." He smiled more, slyly as always, and moved to stand in front of me.

"I don't object to the idea of marriage. I just find the concept somewhat hilarious."

"So do I, under these circumstances. I don't think there's any reason to rush it. I mean, it's not like you're insured for hundreds of thousands of dollars that I could stand to inherit. Yet."

"How do you know?" I looked at him skeptically, and his jaunting expression only deepened.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." He snickered again, when his eyes darted to the window.

"Kakarotto and his brat are here."

"Ugh, what do they want NOW?" I laid back dramatically on the bed. "If ChiChi's with them, tell her that I'm sleeping." He nodded shortly, and soundlessly left. That was...awhile ago. I suppose that I'm ready to go downstairs now. Sigh!

9:49 p.m: Well, just when you think that people are beyond surprising you! Krillen, Gohan, and Piccolo came along, too, with the latter two going off to spar with Goku and Vegeta (what a shock), while Krillen hung around the living room with ChiChi, my mother, and me.

My mother was very curious about what had been happening (which is weird, because she usually doesn't care, even when I am involved), and I told her all about the strange creature, but didn't explain why it was after me. However, some of the details about Vegeta's heroism were unavoidable, and though I tried to downplay it all (I was waiting for a more opportune moment to drop the Vegeta bomb on my mother), ChiChi brought the matter to the forefront.

"Bulma, I feel that I owe you an apology," she announced, out of nowhere. "I've been very hard on you lately, and looking back, I realize how offensive my disapproval of Vegeta must have been." Her tone was very matter of fact and rather uppity, so it wasn't like bunnies were dancing around in my heart or anything, but I was still shocked.

"I was wrong, too," Krillen admitted, looking guilty. "While I'll probably never like Vegeta, I do believe that he has changed..." Though I felt a sudden overwhelming urge to play the Smug, Angry card, I remained composed.

"Well, I'm glad. Maybe now you people will just calm--"

"What is all this about?" my mother interrupted, in an alarmed little trill. So much for my efforts.

"Errr, yes, I still need to tell you," I began, flinching. I groped around for the 'right' way to ease into the subject, but then remembered that subtlety had never been my strong suite, and decided to just be out with it. "Mom...I'm pregnant."

"WHAT! You don't look pregnant!" I rolled my eyes, and opened my mouth to make some smart ass remark, when she gasped in shock. "Pregnant! Who's the father?" Once again, my paranoid childhood worries about being adopted resurfaced, because surely this clueless woman didn't give birth to ME. I glowered at her impatiently, and slowly the realization washed over her face.

"Oh my," she gasped. "Oh, that's wonderful! I was hoping you two would get married!"

"We're not getting married!" I snapped.

"What!" ChiChi cried.

"Well, at least not at this time," I stammered, feeling my face grow hot.

"Do you think Goku was thrilled to get married! No! But I made him, anyway, because it was the proper thing to do!"

"Oh, here we go," I grumbled. "Vegeta's perfectly willing to get married! We're just still figuring things out, the details of which being none of your business, thank you very much!"

"I hope you have a girl," my mother interjected. I exchanged pained looks with ChiChi and Krillen, and then sighed, knowing that I had no choice but to rehash the entire, unedited story to her.

After explaining everything about sixteen times, I went outside with ChiChi, who had brought an enormous photo album and wanted to reminisce upon the Birth of Gohan in gory detail.

As we walked past the gravity room, a question that had been nagging me demanded to be addressed. "Tell me, ChiChi," I began. "What made you feel so inclined to apologize?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, airily.

"I mean...it's just not like you." She looked momentarily offended, but then shook her head with a defeated sigh.

"Even I occasionally make mistakes, and I realized mine when I witnessed his devotion to you. I'm not blind. I know love when I see it." Momentarily stunned by that uncharacteristically sweet admission, I didn't know what to say. Then, as if he had been listening, Vegeta came from around the corner of the gravity room and paused at the door, looking at me. It was the same look as always: sly, mysterious, and piqued with a private softness. I smiled slightly, and as he disappeared into the room, I turned to ChiChi and said, "Yes. So do I."

Epilogue

June, some years later... (not saying how many!)

3:16 p.m: I thought it would be appropriate to end my story with a dramatic (not) recap of my life these past few years. So here I am, sitting out on the patio, listening to the lovely sounds of energy beams exploding off the walls of the gravity room. Trunks and Goten are in there. Just like ChiChi, I've grown used to apocalyptic noise. At least for the most part.

So Bulma, you ask, How have things been? Why are you ending the story NOW? Why can't you find a gazillion more diary entries for us to decipher? Well, to be honest, I didn't keep up with my journal as prudently once Vegeta and I became an established couple. For one, I was really worried that he would find it. Thus, I hid it, and did such a good job, that I only found it again rather recently. (I had put it in a capsule, stuck it in an old pair of pantyhose, which wound up in a shoebox, which wound up in the attic in a larger box, which wound up on a shelf.)

Despite the unusual circumstance of him being an all powerful alien (ha, ha), and the many threats to earth that kept popping up, our life has been surprisingly normal. After Trunks was born, we moved into a new house that was built next to my parents. And, despite popular belief, Vegeta was a highly involved father from the start. For instance, baby Trunks was more willing to fall asleep when Vegeta held him than when I did (Vegeta claims it was due to the 'piercing loudness' of my voice, but I think it was more than that).

We got married a few years later, but it was in private. This was a mutual decision. I was well beyond the idealistic fantasies of a Dream Wedding, and figured that the stress factor would eclipse the bizarre glory of the moment, anyway. ChiChi was mad, but got over it pretty fast in favor of gloating over my decision to "do the right thing."

Over the years, we've tried to keep our private life private (this story doesn't count!). I mean, after having everyone up in our business in the beginning, can you blame us? Thus, it is no surprise that we've kept up with our telepathy. In fact, some of our most interesting (and revealing) conversations have commenced through that medium. Though Vegeta has been a tough nut to crack over the years, I think I've managed to make him divulge a better part of his life story to me. And Goku was right; he did have a tragic past. No one could have avoided the evil turn his life took, had they experienced the same history. What stands as a glowing testimony is the fact that he had the capacity to change. As I've told him before (and much to his displeasure), he is a truly remarkable person.

It was a nostalgic experience, reading those old entries. Obviously, Vegeta had not made a good first impression, and had you told me back when he was trying to kill Goku that I would wind up marrying him someday, I would have screamed your ear drums to death. Now, I can't imagine being with anyone else. We're so much alike, he and I. Aside from my father, he's the only one I know who can challenge me at an intellectual level, and he's the only person period who can lighten my mood when I've made up my mind to be angry. Isn't it funny how things turn out?

I hope you have all enjoyed this TRUE story, and will share it with everyone you know. Except for Vegeta. Though we did wind up talking about just about everything, including how much I hated his guts back in the day, I'd still like to keep some of my 'choice descriptions' from him. Even though he'd only find it hilarious. Which is exactly the problem.

Until next time...

Bulma

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NOTE: I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story over the years! You have all been my inspiration, and I can't tell you how much I've appreciated your encouragement. I'm sorry that the updates were so unevenly spaced, but hey, at least I always came back! Haha. This is the very first 'epic' series that I've ever finished, so I guess that's saying something. It was very fun to write, and I hope that it's been fun to read. Anywho, I love you all!

- Rosiekins 


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